District Attorney Robert V. Tendy was elected Putnam District Attorney in November 2015 and took office on January 1, 2016.

A graduate of St. John’s University Law School, Mr. Tendy started his legal career as a trial prosecutor with the New York County (Manhattan) District Attorney’s office in 1989. While there he personally handled hundreds of misdemeanor and felony cases ranging from simple petit larceny to assaults, burglaries, arsons, robberies, attempted murders, and numerous other criminal charges. Mr. Tendy presented many cases to grand juries and brought over twenty cases to trial in his four years as an Assistant District Attorney. In 1994 he began his own practice specializing in criminal defense work. From 1994 until being sworn in as District Attorney for Putnam in 2016, Mr. Tendy handled hundreds of cases and successfully defended dozens of cases at trial from DWI, to assault, sex crimes, computer crimes, drug charges, murder, and other charges.

Mr. Tendy also served as Councilman on the Putnam Valley Town Board from 2003 – 2008, and as the Putnam Valley Town Supervisor from 2008 – 2016. In addition to holding a Juris Doctor degree, he has a Master of Arts in English Literature.

As District Attorney, Mr. Tendy oversees all aspects of the office’s prosecutions, is primarily responsible for the operations and budget of the office, and sets the office’s prosecution and ethics policies.

Chana Krauss joined the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office in 2008. She started her career in the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office in 1990, where she was a Major Case trial assistant prosecuting violent crimes including Murder, Rape, Burglary, Robbery and Gang Assaults. When she left the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, she was Deputy Chief of Grand Jury supervising 40 assistant district attorneys, was in charge of the cold case DNA unit, and was liaison to the Gang Intel unit at Rikers Island. In addition to her supervisory role in the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office, CADA Krauss is the Chief of the Sex Crimes Bureau. She was a recipient in 2017 of the Robert Morgenthau Prosecutor of the Year award.

Breanne Smith joined the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office in January 2016 and is the Chief of the Narcotics Bureau.  She began her career as an Assistant District Attorney at the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office in 2008 in the Criminal Court Bureau. ADA Smith acted as a Special Prosecutor in New York County Criminal Court and was promoted to “Team Leader” in 2009 where she supervised approximately 70 Assistant District Attorneys. In 2010, ADA Smith was transferred to the Intake Bureau where she was responsible for indicting numerous violent and non-violent felony cases. She joined the Narcotics Bureau in 2012, where she handled hundreds of felony and misdemeanor narcotics cases. First ADA Smith worked with various law enforcement agencies, including the NYPD Bronx Narcotics and Major Case Units, on several long-term investigations which ultimately led to numerous felony arrests. She also appeared in the Bronx Supreme Court as the Drug Treatment Court liaison for the bureau.

Todd Carpenter joined the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office in January 2021. Prior to joining the office, ADA Carpenter practiced almost exclusively in the area of criminal defense with various firms in Dutchess County before opening and operating his own law firm in 2017 in Poughkeepsie, NY. As a defense attorney, ADA Carpenter represented clients throughout the Hudson Valley and New York City charged with offenses ranging from misdemeanor DWI to class A felonies.

Joseph Charbonneau joined the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office in June 1992. Since that time, he has tried over a dozen jury trials for charges ranging including Murder 2, Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, Vehicular Assault, Burglary, Robbery, Sexual Assault, Driving While Intoxicated, and other crimes. ADA Charbonneau has presented hundreds of cases before the Putnam County Grand Jury, has handled criminal court calendars in all Courts in Putnam County, and has successfully defended appeals before the Appellate Division, Second Department and the Supreme Court Appellate Term Ninth Judicial District.

Mackenzie Ferguson joined the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office in March 2019 and is a member of the Narcotics Bureau. ADA Ferguson graduated with honors from Pace Law School in 2018 as part of an accelerated 3 + 3 program. She has interned and volunteered with the Putnam County Court from 2012 – 2018 and has previously volunteered with the Putnam County Youth Court program.

Melissa Lynch rejoined the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office in December 2022 after having previously served as a Putnam County ADA from June 2016 to March 2021.  She began her career in law enforcement as a federal agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration conducting investigations into violations of the Controlled Substance Act as well and handling various felony and misdemeanor crimes at both the state and federal levels. She then served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Richmond County District Attorney’s office where she worked in the Criminal Court and Special Victim’s Bureaus where handling hundreds of cases from inception to disposition.  In Putnam, ADA Lynch has handled a variety of cases from child abuse to narcotics. She has presented numerous cases to the Grand Jury and tried several felony jury trials including Rape, Assault, and Driving While Intoxicated.

Kerianne Morrissey joined the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office in November 2022 and is a member of the Special Victims Bureau. She previously served as an ADA in the Clinton County District Attorney’s Office, where she covered the Integrated Domestic Violence Court and successfully argued multiple appeals before the Appellate Division, Third Department. ADA Morrissey is a graduate of Vermont Law School. During her time in law school, she interned in various government offices, including the Mental Hygiene Legal Service, Special Litigation and Appeals Unit; the Appellate Division, Second Department; the New York State Attorney General’s Westchester Regional Office; and the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office.