DISTRICT ATTORNEY TENDY CONDEMNS DIPIPPO SETTLEMENT

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CARMEL, NEW YORK – August 14, 2020 Putnam County District Attorney Robert V. Tendy released the
following statement today regarding the County’s decision to settle the lawsuit filed by Anthony DiPippo:
The Putnam County Legislature,
1 with the approval of the Putnam County Executive and Putnam County
Attorney, has agreed to settle a civil rights lawsuit filed by Anthony DiPippo by giving him 12 million
dollars. I condemn this decision in the strongest terms possible.

It is my strong opinion, and prior courts have agreed, that Mr. DiPippo’s civil rights were never violated.
Had the Legislature, County Executive, and County Attorney bothered to take the time to look at this
lawsuit carefully by conferring with my office, they would have realized that this lawsuit had no factual or
legal basis and would ultimately fail. In all the years that the plaintiff’s criminal case was being tried and
retried there had never been a single finding by any court of a civil rights abuse or any police wrongdoing.
The allegations in this lawsuit could have been disproven. However, the County never completed, and
perhaps never even began, discovery in order to investigate Mr. DiPippo’s baseless claims. They never
held formal depositions of the plaintiff or any of his witnesses. They never conducted any follow-up
discovery because they never truly began the process of defending this absurd lawsuit. In my opinion,
based on the public comments made by the legislators as they cast their votes, the County was concerned
with one thing only: money.

It is a matter of public record that Mr. DiPippo was twice convicted by a jury of raping and murdering a
twelve-year-old girl. He was found not guilty after a third trial. This does not translate into giving him 12
million dollars.

The negligence on the part of everyone responsible for this decision is astonishing—and the decision is
reprehensible. While the plaintiff’s lawyers held perhaps one hundred hours of depositions of

approximately a dozen witnesses and demanded and received thousands of pages of discovery—
something the defendant County was supposed to do first but did not—the County took no depositions
and received minimal to no discovery. Accordingly, it was impossible for the County to adequately
examine the plaintiff’s claims. It is incomprehensible that the county would agree to give the plaintiff 12
million dollars simply because he asked for it; but, realistically, that is what occurred. Had they consulted
with my office, they would have discovered the baselessness of the plaintiff’s claims.
I am astonished and sickened by this decision. It is incomprehensible and indefensible.

1 Only one legislator, Nancy Montgomery, voted against this settlement.

Blue Star By-Way marker dedicated in Carmel

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Putnam County District Attorney was very happy to take part in the Blue Star Memorial By-Way Plaque dedication this past Saturday.  The Plaque has been placed in front of the Putnam Historic Courthouse.

Exerpt:

The project was named for the Blue Star in the service flag which hung in the windows of homes and businesses to honor service men and women.

The Brewster-Carmel Garden Club sponsored the marker. Trina Hiemcke, chairwoman of the Blue Star Committee, said the local garden club had previously erected a marker in Brewster. “One of our main projects for 2018 was to place a marker in Carmel – our county seat –as well. Thanks to our District Attorney Robert Tendy who donated $500 for the cost of the marker and the county for locating a suitable rock to which the plaque has been attached, the Blue Star Memorial By-Way marker has become a part of our community.”

County Executive MaryEllen Odell told those in attendance, many huddled under umbrellas and shivering from the 41 degree temperature, that “Putnam. County was the most patriotic county in all of New York State. We cannot thank the dedicated members of the garden club enough for bringing this marker to our county seat. Putnam. County is extremely proud of its patriots–men as well as women–who have served our nation with pride, valor and dedication.”

Read the full article at Mid Hudson News.

Putnam County District Attorney’s Asset Forfeiture Unit Auction January 2018

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Visit Auctionsinternational.com to see the latest vehicles up for auction by the Putnam County District Attorney’s Asset Forfeiture Unit.  Vehicles auctioned here were seized and forfeited as the result of felony crimes in our county.  Please contact Tracy Locascio at 845-808-1051 for questions.

*All vehicles are sold with clean titles in the name of the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office, unless otherwise indicated

CARPE DIEM!

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District Attorney Robert Tendy returned to his former job as Putnam Valley Supervisor for a few moments to help release Sterile Grass Carp into Putnam Valley’s Lake Oscawana. This was part of multi-faceted program to control weeds in the lake, and it was one of the last projects Tendy completed before he left Putnam Valley to become Putnam County District Attorney.

It was more than three years ago that Tendy, his former Town Hall Staff, and members of the Lake Oscawana community began the work to bring grass carp into the lake, which was being choked off in some areas as invasive weeds such as milfoil began to grow uncontrollably. “It was a painstaking process, with a lot of environmental concerns that had to be addressed. We started in the summer of 2012, and were approved shortly before I left office at the end of 2015. When I heard that the carp were being put into the lake this week, I wanted to be sure to attend. It was a beautiful day, I saw many of my old friends, and it was really nice to be back, if only for a brief visit.”

The carp are small now, about 10  – 12 inches, but can grow to about 3 feet long. They don’t reproduce, and are used in lakes that are overcome with weeds, particularly invasive weed species. “These carp, as they grow and eat the weeds, in about 2 – 3 years will begin having a noticeable effect toward reducing weeds in the lake. It’s great to see that everyone’s hard work and perseverance paid off. Putnam Valley has beautiful lakes, and Lake Oscawana is the jewel of them all. We always did everything we could to keep it that way.”

After the release of the fish into the lake, Tendy hurried back to the District Attorney’s office. “It’s such a beautiful day, and it is really nice being back. But we  have a lot of things to do at the District Attorney’s office, so my little vacation is over.”

D.A. & SHERIFF WARN AGAINST SCAM IRS CALLS: SENIOR CITIZENS AMONG THOSE TARGETED

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D.A. & SHERIFF WARN AGAINST SCAM IRS CALLS: —SENIOR CITIZENS AMONG THOSE TARGETED—

CARMEL, NEW YORK – APRIL 27, 2016:  Putnam County District Attorney Robert Tendy and Putnam County Sheriff Donald B. Smith are warning area residents to be on guard against an IRS tax collection scam that has bilked victims throughout the nation.  In recent days, several Putnam County residents have reported that they have received bogus calls from con artists identifying themselves as IRS officials and demanding payments of money for taxes.  Many of those targeted by the thieves are senior citizens.

In the scam, imposters pretending to be from the IRS or another agency telephone people and claim they owe taxes.  The callers typically say that the persons must pay immediately or else face the loss of their driver’s license or business license, face deportation or go to jail.

The callers may alter, or “spoof,” caller ID services to make it look like they are calling from the actual agency.  Scammers often research their targets online to pick up some personal details about them, such as their age and the names of other family members, to make the intended victim believe they have official access to their tax records. Callers may use official IRS titles and give out a badge number to identify themselves.

Scammers usually demand that the targeted person pay through an online service or by using an untraceable cash or debit card, often directing victims to a bank or convenience store to make the payment through a wire service such as Western Union.

More recently, tax scammers have gone beyond using the phone. Late last summer, the IRS warned that the con artists are copying official IRS letterhead to contact victims through email or regular mail. In another twist, the thieves provide a real IRS address and tell the victim to mail the receipt for the payment to the agency.

-MORE-

 

. . . SCAM IRS CALLS

The scam has been occurring across the nation for about two years.  According to published reports, hundreds of thousands of scam contacts have occurred nationwide and thousands of victims have been collectively scammed out of millions of Dollars.

The IRS recommends that the best way of dealing with the thieves is to just hang up the phone.  According to the IRS, real agents will not contact taxpayers by phone without first sending a written tax bill in the mail. Furthermore, the IRS does not demand immediate payment of owed taxes.  The IRS also will not demand just one kind of specific payment and does not threaten to call in the local police for nonpayment of taxes.

The IRS advises taxpayers that the best defense against IRS scammers is to know your own tax situation.  If a taxpayer filed a tax return that was accepted by the IRS, and even received a refund, any tax dispute would be about specific income items or deductions, and the IRS would contact the taxpayer by mail.  If that has not happened, a taxpayer’s tax status is not an issue.

In addition to the IRS guidance, Sheriff Smith offered a general reminder to residents that they should never give out personal financial information to callers over the phone or send money to strangers. District Attorney Tendy said that any perpetrators of the scams would be prosecuted vigorously.  ###

Robert Tendy Sworn In As New District Attorney

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Robert Tendy was sworn in today as the new Putnam County District Attorney. The ceremony took place at the Historic Putnam County Courthouse, a fitting backdrop for the new DA. DA Tendy stated he “is proud and honored to serve the people of Putnam County”. DA Tendy has been an attorney since 1989 concentrating in the area of criminal law. He served in Manhattan under DA Robert Morgenthau as an Assistant District Attorney handling hundreds of cases. DA Tendy also served in private practice defending the rights of many citizens.
In 2008 DA Tendy ran for Supervisor of the Town of Putnam Valley where he was elected and continued to serve until his election as Putnam County District Attorney. The transition into politics was not an easy move, DA Tendy admits to “not being political by nature” but felt the need to get involved and make a difference.
DA Tendy pledged to work with local law enforcement and continue to “work hard, be honest, ethical and remain open to ideas”.