Syracuse woman to plead not guilty in sex case

FARMINGTON — A Syracuse woman accused of having sex with three teenage boys made her first appearance here in court to answer to the charges.

Kimberlee Williams Arigot, 40, appeared in 2nd District Court Monday where she was formally charged with a count of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, two counts of unlawful conduct with a 16- or 17-year-old, and five counts of dealing in materials harmful to a minor, all third-degree felonies. Arigot also faces a single count of child sex abuse, a class A misdemeanor.

Arigot is accused of having sex with a 15-year-old boy, a 17-year-old and performing a sex act on another 17-year-old.

"We think that some of them are a little bit older than what the prosecution says they are," Ryan Bushell, Arigot's defense attorney, said outside of court.

Arigot left the courthouse surrounded by supporters. The case has gotten quite a bit of attention because of its scandalous nature and been spread all over the world via the Internet.

"When I first heard about the case and talked with my client I told her right off the bat, 'This is a Lifetime Channel Movie of the Week case, and you're going to have to anticipate a lot of stories about it being put in the paper,'" Bushell said, adding that his client was taking the notoriety "better than I expected."

Arigot was arrested Nov. 19 when Syracuse police began investigating reports that minors had received explicit pictures over their cell phones. Police said the boys were either friends of her daughter or lived in her neighborhood.

Syracuse police initially expressed concern about a "double standard" when it comes to sex crimes involving teenage boys as victims.

"The statute says it is (against the law)," Bushell said.

Syracuse police said the alleged victims are willing to testify.

"I have some no-contact orders that I'm signing," Judge Jon Memmott said to Arigot as a bailiff handed her a stack of papers on Monday.

The orders prevent her from having any contact with the alleged victims and any other witnesses in this case. Bushell said Arigot intends to plead not guilty to the charges. A judge will decide if there's enough evidence to make her stand trial after a preliminary hearing on Jan. 23.

E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com