Putnam County Sheriff's Deputy Kevin Osika will leave the department later this month under a disciplinary settlement that includes the loss of 60 days' pay, bringing an end to his employment following his arrest earlier this year on domestic violence-related charges.
Meanwhile, Sheriff Brian Hess has asked the Putnam County Legislature to help initiate an ethics investigation into Osika's wife, Legislator Erin Crowley, alleging that she attempted to pressure him into retaining her husband and used her legislative authority to interfere with Sheriff's Office purchases and budget transfers.
Hess confirmed that Osika's employment will officially end Oct. 23 under an agreement reached earlier this month. Osika is currently using accrued vacation time and will not return to duty.
Osika initially received a 30-day suspension without pay, the maximum allowed under the applicable disciplinary rules, Hess said. Under the separation agreement, he will forfeit an additional 30 days' pay.
The agreement follows the resolution of Osika's criminal case in Dutchess County, where the proceedings were sealed. That disposition has not been publicly disclosed.
Osika was arrested Feb. 21 following an alleged domestic incident and charged with third-degree assault and second-degree aggravated harassment. The aggravated harassment charge was subsequently dismissed, while the assault charge remained pending until the case was resolved.
Putnam County District Attorney Robert Tendy recused his office because of his familiarity with Osika and Crowley, and a Dutchess County prosecutor was assigned to handle the case.
In a five-page letter dated Sept. 22, Hess outlined a series of allegations against Crowley, who works for U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler in addition to representing District 9 (which includes parts of Mahopac) on the Putnam County Legislature.
Hess contends that Crowley, as chair of the Audit and Administration Committee, attempted to influence the disciplinary proceedings involving her husband and subsequently subjected Sheriff's Office expenditures to unusual scrutiny, delaying purchases of equipment needed for public safety operations.
Hess alleges that Crowley submitted a character-reference letter May 29 asking that her husband's career be preserved. In a subsequent telephone conversation witnessed by Undersheriff James Menton, she again requested that Osika remain a deputy.
Hess said he offered to consider transferring Osika to a nonsworn position in the Corrections Department, where he would not carry a firearm, but Crowley rejected the offer.
The sheriff alleges that Crowley then threatened to seek assistance from Dan Scavino, White House deputy chief of staff, to intervene on her husband's behalf.
"That made me laugh," Hess said in an interview. "It is so ridiculous. I am not going to be bullied."
Hess's letter also describes what he characterized as a pattern of harassment, including reports of rumors concerning his relationships with female employees and an alleged threat to expose a supposed sex scandal involving the Sheriff's Office.
He further alleges that Crowley appeared to photograph or surveil him in a supermarket parking lot in July, prompting an internal investigation.
Crowley has denied surveilling Hess, according to the sheriff's letter.
Hess acknowledged that some allegations were based on information reported to him by others and said an independent investigation should determine their validity.
A central issue in Hess's complaint involves Crowley's role in reviewing departmental expenditures.
Hess alleges that Crowley used her legislative oversight responsibilities to delay or complicate purchases and budget transfers, including equipment intended for school safety and emergency operations.
Among the examples cited was a budget transfer for audiovisual equipment that took 35 days to receive Crowley's approval. Another request involving five Dell monitors for emergency command vehicles had remained outstanding for 47 days as of Sept. 21.
Hess also cited questions about computers intended for a school-safety initiative, which he said threatened their deployment before the school year.
Crowley has maintained that her questions were legitimate exercises of fiscal oversight and requests for technical clarification, according to Hess's letter.
Hess said the alleged harassment appears to have subsided.
Legislator Amy Sayegh (District 9, Mahopac) said Legislator Laura Russo (District 4, Kent), who serves on the same committee as Crowley, is currently handling Sheriff's Office appropriations.
In his letter, Hess requested that Crowley recuse herself from all legislative and committee matters involving the Sheriff's Office, including purchasing, budget, personnel and oversight matters.
"I would be appalled if an independent investigation established that public authority was used to protect a personal financial interest, retaliate over a disciplinary decision, or obstruct public-safety operations," Hess wrote. "If proven, such conduct would be a corruption of the public trust."
Hess said he sent the letter to the Legislature because he was concerned that the county Board of Ethics might not be operational.
However, Sayegh said the five-member board currently has three members and heard two cases over the summer. Neither involved Crowley.
The Legislature is seeking candidates to fill the two vacancies.
Sayegh explained that under the county's previous charter, the county executive appointed all five members, subject to legislative approval. Under revised rules, the executive appoints three members, the Legislature's chair appoints one and the minority leader appoints one. All appointments still require approval by the full Legislature.
Hess said his intention is to have the allegations reviewed independently, rather than asking legislators to determine whether Crowley engaged in misconduct.
Legislature Chairman Dan Birmingham declined to comment on the story.
When reached by Mahopac News, Crowley also declined to comment.
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