Husband convicted of felony charge in domestic dispute over “disturbing photos”

A domestic dispute that began with an angry wife confronting her husband over “disturbing photographs” has concluded with the conviction of Nicholas Clark, 33, of Chestnut Ridge on one class “E” felony charge of criminal mischief in the third degree.

The state contended that on January 22, 2014, at approximately 12:40 a.m., Clark intentionally damaged his wife’s laptop computer after she confronted him with “disturbing photographs” she found on his cell phone. According to trial testimony, the defendant reacted violently, making head-to-head contact with his wife and verbally berating her, before smashing and destroying the computer.

According to the charges, Clark fled their condominium at 194 Sierra Vista Lane, Valley Cottage, New York. The victim called 911 to report the incident. The three-day trial ended on September 26, 2016, with the jury finding the defendant guilty of the top count of the indictment.

Clark was ordered to be held in the Rockland County Jail. His sentencing is scheduled for January 3, 2017, when he faces a maximum of three years in state prison. Senior Assistant District Attorney John W. McGowan prosecuted the case.

Authorities described the content of the photos found on the defendant’s phone that came out during the testimony at trial as thus:

“The victim (defendant’s wife) found a photograph that the defendant had taken of the victim’s friend from behind while she was at an ATM machine withdrawing money. The friend did not know she was being photographed and did not consent to the photo being taken. Additionally, the victim found a photograph of the defendant’s father’s girlfriend in a bikini with her head cropped out as well as several celebrity red-carpet wardrobe malfunction photos showing the exposed breasts of female celebrities.

“Further, the victim found that the defendant was following numerous underage girls on Instagram. Just before the attack, the defendant became angered when the victim told him that she found the photograph of her friend at the ATM on the defendant’s phone.”