Owners of popular Binghamton restaurant facing felony charges, including rape
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- The owners of a popular restaurant in an upstate college town are facing felony charges, including rape.
This comes as the community demanded authorities to take action.
The Colonial Bar and Restaurant in Binghamton was a go-to hangout for SUNY students and residents alike -- that was until allegations of sexual assault surfaced late last year.
"They essentially have made themselves a fixture in the community ... essentially taking over the downtown area," sexual assault victims' advocate Quinn Singer told CBS2's Aundrea Cline-Thomas.
Singer is among the administrators of the Facebook group "Binghamton Believes Survivors of Sexual Assault," a community of more than 14,000 who organized a protest outside of the restaurant in December, demanding charges be filed.
On Wednesday, 41-year-old owner Yaron Kweller was charged with rape, and 33-year-old owner Jordan Ringden faces multiple counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance. The felonies, authorities say, are connected to an incident at the restaurant on Nov. 27.
"Those owners have been arrested, but that doesn't mean that their business partners aren't still running multiple restaurants and continuing business as is," Singer said.
In a statement, Colonial's acting ownership group said they're "heartbroken and disgusted" by the allegations, adding Kweller and Ringden were "removed from business operations in December" and their legal team is "actively exploring options to also remove them as partners."
"What does advocacy look like moving forward?" Cline-Thomas asked Singer.
"Ensuring that there's a fair prosecution within our small town and making sure that these downtown restaurants are a safe place," Singer said.
Sexual assault advocates say the arrests are just a start and their work is far from over.
Police say another arrest is expected.
In a statement, Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham called the charges serious and disturbing. He also recognized the bravery of sexual assault survivors, who he said came forward under unimaginable circumstances.