ROBERT V. TENDY
PUTNAM COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
DISTRICT ATTORNEY ROBERT V. TENDY – Was elected Putnam District Attorney in November of 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 prosecution and ethics policies.
Our Legal Staff
FOR THE PUTNAM COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
Chief ADA Chana Krauss – Started her career in the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office in 1990. Chana was a Major Case trial assistant prosecuting violent crimes including Murder, Rape, Burglary, Robbery and Gang Assaults. When Chana left the Bronx District Attorney’s Office in 2008 to join the Putnam County 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, Chana prosecutes violent crimes including the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes. Chana was a recipient in 2017 of the Robert Morgenthau prosecutor of the year award.
ADA Breanne Smith – Breanne began her career as an Assistant District Attorney at the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office in 2008 in their Criminal Court Bureau. She 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, Breanne was transferred to the office’s Intake Bureau where she was responsible for indicting numerous violent and non-violent felony cases, before joining the Narcotics Bureau in 2012. As a narcotics ADA, Breanne handled hundreds of felony and misdemeanor narcotics cases. She 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.
Breanne began with our office in January of 2016 and currently handles the Village of Brewster Court and all of the felony narcotics arrests county-wide. She is also assigned to work with the Honorable Judge James Reitz and the Putnam County Drug Treatment Court team in county court.
ADA Nicholas LaStella Nick joined the team at the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office in October of 2019. Prior to that, Nick worked as an Assistant District Attorney at the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office in the Trial Division. He was predominantly responsible for prosecuting cases involving violent felony offenses such as Attempted Murder, Robbery, Burglary, and firearms offenses. While in the Bronx, Nick also handled a number of sex crimes cases including Rape and Sexual Abuse and conducted numerous sex offender registration hearings.
Nick is a trained and certified forensic interviewer and has handled a number of high profile child abuse and endangerment cases.
Nick is currently responsible for handling one of the two local courts in Putnam Valley and is responsible for handling the office’s appeals.
ADA Mackenzie Ferguson Joined the Putnam County District Attorney’s office in March of 2019. Mackenzie graduated from Pace Law School in 2018 with honors as part of an accelerated 3 + 3 program. She has interned and volunteered with the Putnam County Court from 2012 – 2018. ADA Ferguson has also volunteered with the Putnam County Youth Court program.
ADA Ferguson is responsible for the Town of Southeast Court.
ADA David Rosenberg joined the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office in July of 2020. David is an experienced litigator, and he previously served as an Assistant Attorney General, representing New York State agencies, officials and employees in state and federal civil actions. There, he handled cases for the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Office of Mental Health, Office of Court Administration, and State Police. Prior to that, David was an associate attorney with a Hudson Valley law firm, where he represented local municipalities, school districts, businesses and individuals in wide-ranging litigation matters. Prior to becoming an attorney, David was the Legal Assistant to the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York.
First Assistant District Attorney Larry Glasser – Joined the New York County (Manhattan) District Attorney’s Office in 2002. Named Criminal Court Supervisor, Sept 2007-Feb 2009, where he supervised approximately 12-15 first and second year prosecutors. In 2010 he was named a “Homicide Assistant” and began investigating and prosecuting homicides, vehicular fatalities, police shootings, and other similarly-serious cases. ADA Glasser joined the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office in 2016. He has tried approximately 30 jury trials including Murder 1, Murder 2, Rape, Burglary, Robbery, Weapons Possession, Assault, Drug Sales, Drug Possession, Larceny, Identity Theft, Police Impersonation, and other crimes in his career. He has also taught and led CLE training sessions and workshops in numerous areas of criminal law, criminal procedure, and trial advocacy.
ADA Glasser is responsible for one of the two local courts in Carmel and one of the two County Court parts that hear felony cases, and is the asset forfeiture coordinator for the DA’s office.
ADA Joseph Charbonneau – Joe started with the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office in June of 1992. Since that time, he has tried over a dozen jury trials for charges ranging from Murder 2, Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, Vehicular Assault, Burglary, Robbery, Sexual Assault, Driving While Intoxicated and other crimes. He has personally presented hundreds of cases before the Putnam County Grand Jury. He has handled criminal Court calendars in all Courts in Putnam County and has successfully defended appeals before the Appellate Term 9th Judicial District and the Supreme Court Appellate Division, 2nd Department.
Joe is responsible for one of the two local courts in the Towns of Carmel and Kent and is currently handling serious Vehicular Crimes for the DA’s office.
ADA Melissa Lynch – Melissa began her career in criminal justice as a Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration in 2010 where she investigated violations of the Controlled Substance Act, as well as various felony and misdemeanor crimes on the state and federal level. In 2013, Melissa joined the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office as a Criminal Court Assistant where she managed a criminal court caseload of approximately 200 cases of varying types of misdemeanor offenses. Melissa was transferred to the Special Victim’s Bureau in 2014 where she investigated and successfully prosecuted domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, sexual violence, and sex offender registration cases.
Melissa currently handles the Town of Putnam Valley Court and Appeals.
ADA Jessica Segal started her career at the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office in 2000. Since that time, Jessica has prosecuted thousands of impaired drivers and has tried over fifty jury trials for charges including Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, Vehicular Assault, Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting In Death, Driving While Impaired By Alcohol and/or Drugs, and Aggravated Cruelty to Animals. Jessica has received specialized training in the area of crash reconstruction and forensic toxicology. ADA Segal served as a member of the New York State DWI Advisory Council and assisted in the organization of a forensic evidence team for the Dutchess County SPCA Humane Law Enforcement Office.
ADA Segal has also prosecuted dozens of serious charges such as Burglary, Identity Theft, Possession of Weapons and Drugs, and successfully argued appeals before the Appellate Term of the 9th Judicial District. Jessica joined the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office in 2019, where she currently handles the Town of Patterson Court and assists with appellate litigation.
ADA Segal regularly presents continuing education and training classes for the legal community and police agencies in the areas of criminal law and trial advocacy.