TOWN OF LEE, N.Y. (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) – The Oneida County Sheriff’s Office reports that a Town of Lee man has been charged with multiple felonies after an investigation revealed the alleged sexual abuse of children for the past five years.
According to the Sheriff, in March of 2022, the Child Advocacy Center received a report claiming that a girl, under the age of 11 had been sexually assaulted by 34-year-old Michael Provost of the Town of Lee over the last two years.
An Oneida County Investigator with the Child Advocacy Center was then assigned to the case. During the investigation, it was learned that Provost had allegedly engaged in illegal sexual acts with multiple children under the age of 11, including two additional girls and one boy, during the last five years.
As a result, Provost was indicted by the Oneida County Grand Jury on the following charges:
- 8 counts of Predatory Sexual Assault Against a Child (Class A-II Felonies)
- 8 counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the First degree (Class B Felonies)
- 8 counts of Sexual Abuse in the First degree (Class D Felonies)
- 2 counts of Assault in the Third degree (Class A Misdemeanors)
- 2 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Class A Misdemeanors)
On Wednesday, October 26th, members of the Oneida County Sheriff’s Warrants Unit and the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force took Provost into custody without incident. He has been arraigned and is currently being held in the Oneida County Jail in lieu of $75,000.00 bail.
An order of protection and other services have been issued to the victims on behalf of the court and the Child Advocacy Center.
