I knew Pete Bardunias from our time together as community bloggers with the Times Union. Pete would post messages about upcoming events with the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, which his blog represented. Later on, he would join the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce, and I would see his Facebook posts that showcased ribbon cuttings for new businesses and local tourism updates.
Which made last night’s news story a complete blind side shock.
According to news reports, Pete Bardunias was arrested yesterday and charged with attempting to solicit sex from a girl he thought was under the age of consent.
Ugh.
I’m already feeling nauseous as I write this post. But I have to write this, because I have to process this as well. And for reference, this link brings you to the FBI charging affidavit. As well as this link from the U.S. Department of Justice. And this report from The Saratogian.
According to the charging affidavit, Bardunias – under the alias “pb2srchng” – communicated with what he thought was a 15-year-old girl (who was actually an undercover agent). Apparently they planned to meet last Monday near what was allegedly the girl’s high school, where Bardunias was arrested.
The allegations are much worse; just read the FBI charging affidavit, because I’m not going to repeat them here.
Now, again, before we get the burning torches and the pitchforks – Pete Bardunias is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. That being said, however … I don’t know what I can say about this.
I’ve survived various abuses in the past, and even though I still feel like I’ve made it through the fire, there’s still more than a few scars and singe marks and lesions from the aftermath. And the worst part is that you think you know someone – you think you know their persona and their ideals and their goals and achievements. And then, in one swift, unflinching microsecond, it all changes. And you start thinking to yourself about why you didn’t see the signs. Why you didn’t know that this was happening, or for how long it might have occurred.
The Bardunias arrest and subsequent aftermath is, for me, very triggering. This isn’t like watching old To Catch a Predator video clips where you see these individuals who are completely detached from your life get arrested. This was someone I knew.
And I’m sitting here this morning, trying to wrap my head around this news. And I just can’t.
All I can do is say that if you have ever been a victim of sexual assault, visit RAINN – talk to someone, it’s a hotline and they can help.
And I hope Pete Bardunias gets the help he needs. But I also hope he receives the justice that equals the consequences of his actions.
Chuck The Writer 
I’m sorry.
I knew a guy I worked with through a state agency, a jovial, intelligent (Ph.D.), and helpful guy named Lenny, who I knew for over a decade. Then he was arrested for possessing and distributing pornography of children. What? He pleaded guilty in 2012 and got nine years. None of us really knew how to process this.
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