Waverly Dance School Owner’s Child Sexual Assault Conviction Upheld

Half of a Southern Tier dance school couple is still under conviction on predatory sexual assault against a child charges while her wife had her conviction overturned earlier this year.

43-year-old Julie Werkheiser’s 2016 conviction has been upheld by the New York State Appellate Division this week.  The same Appellate Division recently overturned Samantha Werkheiser’s conviction for lack of supporting evidence.

The court ruled in Julie Werkheiser’s appeal, her claim that she was not afforded a fair trial was not supported by the weight of evidence.

Children who were between the ages of 6 and 8 claimed they were abused by their dance instructor between July of 2006 and November 2007 at Studio J Dance studio in Waverly.  The reports of alleged sexual abuse on the part of the couple, which also operated a dance school in Broome County, came to light several years after the incidents were said to have taken place.