Ossining Man Accused Of Twice Trying To Lure Girls Into SUV

OSSINING, NY — A man who police accuse of asking young girls to get into his car twice in the past two months has been charged with endangering the welfare of a minor.

Ossining police received a report Wednesday of a man driving a black SUV in the area of Spring Street and Broad Avenue who was approaching young girls and attempting to get them to enter his car.

"We located the vehicle pretty quickly and the 15-year-old complainant confirmed this was the person who tried to get her into his vehicle," police said.

Jorge Denis, 52, was charged with endangering the welfare of a minor.

Police said the Ossining resident had been arrested for a very similar incident last month involving a 14-year-old girl. In that case he was released on his own recognizance.

Last night, Denis was arraigned on the new charge and, in accordance with New York State Law, he was released again, police said.

In New York criminal law, there is only one degree of 'endangering', which is a misdemeanor. Lawmakers are considering adding a felony level.

On Facebook Ossining police said:

Now, more than ever, we need to come together as a community. There will always be a few people with bad intentions. Our kids can't do this alone and moms and dads, especially those working hard to make ends meet, can't be everywhere. Look out for our kids. If you see someone trying to pick up a young person, ask if they're okay.

We're not suggesting you go out there and become a vigilante. There IS middle ground being "minding your business" and "Karen." Ossining always has and always will be known as a great place to raise a family. Part of the reason is, in a small community, we feel safe knowing our neighbors will sometimes bridge the gap. It's easier to parent when we have extra sets of caring eyes.

No matter what, we'll be here, doing everything we can to keep you safe.