|
OSWEGO---The city of Oswego seems to be having trouble keeping its public officials out of jail with the third city official in trouble with the law in the last three months.
Acting police Capt. John Braisington has been charged with first degree harassment, a misdemeanor, for allegedly stalking a former girlfriend in Monroe County. He was suspended without pay by acting Mayor William Dunsmoor after he turned himself in to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office Wednesday.
He was arraigned in the Town of Brighton Court, Monroe County, and released without bail, due to reappear in court on Nov. 7.
Braisington, 42, was reportedly the top choice to become the city's next police chief. According to the mayor, acting police chief Michael Dehm will open an internal investigation into the matter.
When former police chief Alexander Zukovsky took retirement this past summer, Braisington had been his choice for his replacement but instead a committee chosen by former Mayor John Gosek hired William Ruggio.
Both Gosek and Ruggio have their own problems with the criminal justice system Earlier this month, the day after federal agents raided the home of Ruggio looking for stolen property, he was placed on an indefinite paid administrative leave and taxpayers will continue to pay him his annual salary of $73,359. No criminal charges have as yet been filed against Ruggio.
The city of Oswego was already under the public microscope with the arrest of Oswego mayor John Gosek in September month on charges of soliciting sex with two underage girls on a cell phone paid for by the city. Gosek, who had appointed Ruggio as police chief in August , has since resigned. He is free on bail awaiting adjudication of the charges against him.
The city parks superintendent, Robert Farrell, was arrested in August for allegedly communicating indecently by email with 12 to 14-year-old girls.
Federal agents were assisted by state police in executing search warrants at the home and business of Ruggio, authorizing them to look for stolen property including snowmobiles, all terrain vehicles, and related records. Police reportedly seized three snowmobiles and an ATV related to an investigation of stolen property.
According to police, two of the snowmobiles seized Oct. 11 from Ruggio's home had registrations that matched those of snowmobiles stolen last winter from a garage in Wayne County.
10-29-05
© 2005 North
Country Gazette
|
