Schuyler County Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Sexual Abuse of Minors
An Odessa man has been sentenced to 25 years in state prison following his conviction on multiple felony charges related to the sexual abuse of two minors.
Marcel Veilleux, 67, pleaded guilty on January 2, 2025, in Schuyler County Court to one count of first-degree rape, one count of first-degree criminal sexual act—both Class B felonies—and two counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child, classified as Class D felonies. On March 13, 2025, Judge Matthew C. Hayden handed down the maximum sentence, ordering Veilleux to serve 25 years for both the rape and criminal sexual act convictions, as well as 2⅓ to 7 years for each count of promoting a sexual performance by a child. All sentences will run concurrently.
In addition to his prison term, Veilleux was sentenced to 20 years of post-release supervision and will be required to register as a sex offender under New York's Sex Offender Registration Act. A 33-year order of protection was also issued for the victims.
According to prosecutors, the abuse began when the victims were seven and nine years old and continued for at least two years. During the sentencing, Schuyler County Chief Assistant District Attorney Jeremy Hourihan described how Veilleux manipulated the victims, threatened them into silence, and documented his crimes through hundreds of illicit photographs stored on electronic devices.
Hourihan argued for the maximum sentence, stating that Veilleux had groomed the victims and committed the offenses while other adults were present in the home. In court, Judge Hayden rejected any calls for leniency, stating that Veilleux’s past service in the U.S. Navy did not mitigate his crimes.
The case was investigated by the Schuyler County Sheriff’s Department Criminal Investigation Division, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York State Police.
Veilleux’s conviction and sentencing conclude a case that authorities say underscores the importance of child protection efforts and law enforcement collaboration in prosecuting such crimes.