According to the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office Chief…

According to the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Derrick O'Meara, who is the Director of the Oneida County Child Advocacy Center, a Rome man has been arrested for having sexual contact with an underage female child.

The investigation began in July of 2024 when the Oneida County Child Advocacy Center received a report that an underage female child had been subjected to sexual contact starting in January of 2023.

The case was assigned to Rome Police Detective Eric Stevens, who was assigned to the Child Advocacy Center at that time.

The ensuing investigation, conducted by Detective Stevens, Rome Police Detective Alexis Perry and Oneida County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Melissa Bolton, revealed that 35 year old, Mackenzie Mantelli, had allegedly subjected the female child, who was less than 17 years old, to the reported sexual contact.

The Oneida County District Attorney’s Office presented this case to the Oneida County Grand Jury on November 4, 2024. The Grand Jury indicted Mantelli on 2 counts of Rape in the First Degree, (Class B Felonies), 5 counts of Rape in the Third Degree, (Class E Felonies), 1 count of Criminal Sex Act in the Third Degree, (a Class E Felony), and 1 count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, (a Class A Misdemeanor).

Following receipt of the indictment, the Oneida County Court issued a Superior Court Warrant of Arrest for Mantelli.

Mantelli was located and arrested in the City of Rome this morning, (November 13, 2024), by members of the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office Warrants Unit. Mantelli was arraigned in Oneida County Court and he was remanded to the Oneida County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bail.

Services have been offered to the victim by the Child Advocacy Center and an order of protection has been requested on behalf of the child.