Man arrested on Mahopac Middle School campus

MAHOPAC, N.Y. — A man claiming to have grandchildren at Mahopac Middle School was arrested on campus after refusing to leave when confronted by school security officials and officers from the Putnam County Sheriff's Department.

According to a Facebook post from the Sheriff's Department, the incident occurred at around 9:20 a.m. on Jan. 6, when school resource officer Deputy Michael Varley saw a man on the grounds of the Mahopac Middle School campus.

“The SRO immediately engaged the subject, who refused to leave and would not give a legitimate reason for being on the property,” the Facebook post said. “As the SRO was attempting to obtain facts, the subject became combative and was subsequently arrested for trespassing on school grounds.

“The situation was handled quickly and efficiently by the SRO and school staff and did not impact any school operations. This was an isolated incident, and there is no cause for alarm.”

Sheriff Kevin McConville later told Halston Media that the man claimed to have two grandchildren at the middle school and became aggressive with officers when asked to leave. He was arrested and taken to Putnam Hospital Center for evaluation.

Schools Superintendent Christine Tona told Halston Media that the man did not gain access to the building or get near any students or staff.

Tona said the man was walking near the football field between the two schools when spotted by security.

Deputy Varley and a school district security staff member from Briger Security were the first on the scene.

“Our security personnel walk the campus as well as the buildings,” Tona said. “They were definitely alert and aware and handled [the situation] appropriately.”

When the man refused to leave, Varley called for backup and was assisted by YAB Supervisor Sgt. AJ Pizzuto.

“We’re grateful for the swift action of Deputy Varley as well as Sgt. Pizzuto [and] our security guard on campus, who responded immediately—so there was never any time that students were in danger,” Tona said. “It was handled and contained in that one location, nowhere near any students or staff members.”

According to Mahopac CSD Administrator for Security, Safety, and Compliance Troy Bilyeu, the district has strict rules forbidding unauthorized people from being on any Mahopac CSD campus during school hours, including in areas open to the public at other times, like the track and football field between the middle and high school.

“We will have people that are unaware of the rules come onto campus, and we intercept them and let them know what the rules are, and they turn around and leave—and you don’t hear about that,” Bilyeu said. “The reason you heard about it this today is because it became confrontational.”

The school district will hold a districtwide safety symposium on Monday, Jan. 27, at 7 p.m.