Halfmoon man sentenced to 25 years to life for kidnapping
SARATOGA COUNTY, N.Y. » Saratoga County Court Judge James A. Murphy, III recently sentenced John C. Heidrich, of the Town of Halfmoon, to the maximum sentence allowed for Kidnapping in the First Degree of 25 years to life incarceration following a verdict in July 2021 regarding a series of crimes he committed over the course of several days in January 2020 at Heidrich’s residence in the Town of Halfmoon.
Murphy sentenced Heidrich for each of the 16 counts he was found guilty of by the trial jury. Murphy ordered that each of the sentences run concurrently.
Heidrich was sentenced for the following:
• Eight counts of first-degree kidnapping, 25 years to life.
• One count of first-degree rape, 25 years determinate, to be followed by 20 years of post-release supervision.
• One count of first-degree criminal sexual act, seven years determinate, to be followed by 10 years of post-release supervision.
• First-degree sexual abuse, seven years determinate, to be followed by 10 years of post-release supervision.
• One count of felony second-degree sexually motivated kidnapping, 25 years determinate, to be followed by 20 years of post-release supervision.
• Two counts of second-degree assault, seven years determinate, to be followed by seven years determinate, to be followed by three years post-release supervision.
• One count of second-degree strangulation, seven years determinate, to be followed by three years post-release supervision.
Between the dates of Jan. 7-11, 2020, in the Town of Halfmoon, Heidrich held the victim, a 57-year-old Boston area woman, against her will while physically and sexually abusing her, until she was able to escape the defendant’s trailer and run for help. Heidrich met the victim on a phone dating service. The testimony and evidence submitted to the jury revealed that Heidrich spoke to the victim on the phone for months and text messaged with her, grooming her and luring her to come to Saratoga County.
While dating over the phone, the victim shared personal details about herself, including that she lived alone; didn’t have family, and only had a couple of friends; that she had a learning disability and other physical disabilities. Heidrich called the victim multiple times a day, numerous times in a row if she would not answer. And on Jan. 6, 2020, she finally got on a bus in Boston to spend a week with Heidrich getting to know him.
The victim testified the first day or two she was at the Heidrich’s residence seemed fine. But then everything changed. “Jekyll and Hyde” as the victim called Heidrich. He threatened to chain her to cinderblocks and throw her in the river if she tried to leave. He also told her she was going to be his slave, cook and clean for him and have sex with him. Heidrich wouldn’t let her shower; he watched her use the toilet and would not feed her. And then the violence began. In one incident, Heidrich pushed her against the walls in his trailer, causing her to fall. In another instance, when she tried to leave, Heidrich threw the victim against his cement steps, causing her to fall to the ground, where he kicked her in the stomach with his boots on.
That action left a gigantic bruise on her stomach and various cuts and bruises on her legs and arms. He also strangled her with her sweatshirt strings so that the victim couldn’t breathe. At another point, Heidrich put out a lit cigarette on her back, causing a burn. He also threw scalding hot coffee on her back, causing her skin to blister.
The evidence at trial also revealed that Heidrich sexually abused the victim on multiple occasions. The victim was terrified. She testified that she did not know what to do or where to turn for help. When she tried to ask a friend for help, Heidrich smashed her phone against the wall. She was left helpless, alone, in pain, afraid, and sexually abused at his residence.
The victim was able to escape and hide under a truck outside his residence as the Heidrich was outside his residence looking for her. She ultimately ran to one of his neighbors’ homes.
She returned to the Boston area and reported what had occurred in Halfmoon. Her injuries were examined, documented, and treated. The treating medical personal found so many injuries on the victim’s body that they ran out of room on the paper used to document where the injuries were located. There were injuries on the victim from head to toe, in addition to internal injuries. The victim told the court she was left traumatized by these events. She said she will never be the same, she lives her life in fear thinking danger is lurking at every turn, all because of Heidrich’s actions.
Assistant District Attorney Meghan Horton noted at Heidrich’s sentencing that, “the defendant’s acts against the victim were vicious and almost inconceivable. The victim lived through something we have only seen in a horror movie, something that seemed beyond reality. But defendant forced it to become the victim’s reality and she is forced to deal with this new reality every single day.”
District Attorney Karen A. Heggen commended the fortitude and strength of the victim in this case.
“The victim bravely recounted on the witness stand the horrendous acts the defendant perpetrated against her. Because she stood up to her abuser, he has been held responsible and will serve a long time in prison for his terrible crimes,” Heggen said.