Woman sentenced to prison for lying about gang rape

A woman who fabricated a gang rape accusation was sentenced Tuesday to up to three years behind bars.

Biurny Peguero, 27, pled guilty in December to perjury, admitting she made up the September 2005 incident that imprisoned William McCaffrey for nearly four years.
A judge overturned his conviction, with new DNA evidence.

Peguero originally said McCaffrey led two other men who raped her at knifepoint after luring her into their car.

She spoke at his sentencing hearing, saying, “Justice has finally been served.” He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Peguero came to believe her lie because she had been too drunk to remember much of the night in question, according to a report from a psychiatrist who examined Peguero.
Prosecutors have said she told them she claimed she was raped to make her friends feel sorry for her.

Assistant District Attorney Evan Krutoy suggested she might have lied in anger at a man who had upset — but not attacked — her.

Defense lawyer Paul F. Callan noted Peguero came forward to clear McCaffrey, approaching a priest and then authorities this year to recant.

Meanwhile, new DNA tests had shown that a wound on Peguero’s arm came from at least two women, apparently friends she was fighting with — not from McCaffrey.