Putnam County Sheriff’s Deputy Brian Osika has been suspended following a Feb. 21 arrest for alleged domestic violence.
Osika, a 10-year department veteran and vice president of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department Police Benevolent Association, is married to Putnam County Legislator Erin Crowley (District 9, Mahopac), who also serves as a community liaison for Republican Congressman Mike Lawler.
Osika was recently in the news for a lawsuit filed on behalf of the PBA alleging that the county was underpaying deputies’ overtime.
According to State Trooper Krystal P. Paolicelli, public information officer for Troop K, on Saturday, Feb. 21, at approximately 5 a.m., troopers were dispatched to a private residence in Mahopac, regarding a reported domestic incident. Upon arrival, troopers determined that the victim and Osika, 43, were involved in a physical altercation.
Osika was arrested and charged with one count of third-degree assault (with intent to cause physical injury), a class A misdemeanor, and one count of second-degree aggravated harassment (communicating a threat by phone, computer or mail), also a class A misdemeanor.
A temporary order of protection was issued.
Osika was arraigned at the Southeast Town Court and released. He was scheduled to return to Carmel Town Court on Monday, Febr. 23, but due to the snowstorm the appearance was postponed. A spokesperson for the Carmel Justice Court’s clerk’s office said that, as of this writing, no new court date has been scheduled.
Osika's arrest was first reported by journalist David McKay Wilson on his Substack
On Wednesday, Feb 25, Putnam County Sheriff Brian Hess told Mahopac News Osika has been suspended without pay for 30 days pending the investigation, which is ongoing.
“The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office is aware of the arrest of one of our members in connection with a domestic incident,” Hess said. “The member has been suspended pending the outcome of the criminal and internal investigations."
Hess said Osika's suspension went into effect on the night of his arrest.
“We hold our members to the highest professional and ethical standards,” he added. “While the legal process moves forward, it would be inappropriate to comment further. The Sheriff’s Office will continue to cooperate fully with the investigating agency and will take any appropriate administrative action based on the findings.”
Osika is a co-plaintiff in a federal lawsuit filed Feb. 5 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York alleging that Putnam County systematically underpaid members of the Sheriff’s Office by miscalculating their base and overtime rates. He joined Investigator Daniel Hunsberger and Sgt. Matthew Kraisky in bringing the action on behalf of themselves and an estimated 180 current and former deputies, sergeants, investigators and supervisors, seeking back pay and other damages under federal and state labor law.
Hess on Wednesday emphasized that the two cases were unrelated and declined to comment further about Osika's arrest.
“Out of respect for the legal process and the privacy of those involved, no additional information will be released at this time,” Hess said.
Editor-at-Large Bob Dumas contributed to this story.
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