Cayuga County buildings and grounds employee John Chick is expected to plead guilty in U.S. District Court on Jan. 24 to involvement in illegally removing asbestos from the Cayuga County Board of Elections in February, according to a county official.
Chick, 64, was indicted last month on 10 counts, including Clean Air Act violations related to illegal removal and disposal of asbestos from the BOE, falsifying information to federal investigators that he didn't use county prison inmates to perform some of the illegal work and denying requests from prison inmates for masks due to the amount of dust created by asbestos removal debris. Chick could possibly face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count.
County legislator Ann Petrus, acting as county spokeswoman on the asbestos issue, confirmed Tuesday night that Chick has agreed to plead guilty to one charge regarding asbestos removal. Other charges, including an obstruction of justice charge filed that accuses him of threatening to kill a former county employee who is a witness in the case, will be dropped, she said.
"I'm not sure all the legislators know. My sense tells me it must have been later or early in the evening (Tuesday)," Petrus said of when a plea deal may have been struck.
Chick declined comment and forwarded all questions to his Syracuse attorney, Paul Carey, who was not available for comment Tuesday evening. The U.S. attorney handling the case also was not available.
"I don't know what one says for Mr. Chick. I'm glad that his decisions have been made with the sure advice of his attorney," Petrus said. "We'll move on from there."
Petrus was not sure when Chick, who has been suspended from his position, made his decision.
"I'm not sure if investigations are over. I really can't give you other information," Petrus said. "I know the county will help with anything we can."
Chick is scheduled for a hearing before Senior Judge Frederick J. Scullin Jr. in the U.S. Federal Court in Syracuse Jan. 24 at 10:30 a.m.
Read the full report in Wednesday's edition of The Citizen.
County legislator Ann Petrus, acting as county spokeswoman on the asbestos issue, confirmed Tuesday night that Chick has agreed to plead guilty to one charge regarding asbestos removal. Other charges, including an obstruction of justice charge filed that accuses him of threatening to kill a former county employee who is a witness in the case, will be dropped, she said.
"I'm not sure all the legislators know. My sense tells me it must have been later or early in the evening (Tuesday)," Petrus said of when a plea deal may have been struck.
Chick declined comment and forwarded all questions to his Syracuse attorney, Paul Carey, who was not available for comment Tuesday evening. The U.S. attorney handling the case also was not available.
"I don't know what one says for Mr. Chick. I'm glad that his decisions have been made with the sure advice of his attorney," Petrus said. "We'll move on from there."
Petrus was not sure when Chick, who has been suspended from his position, made his decision.
"I'm not sure if investigations are over. I really can't give you other information," Petrus said. "I know the county will help with anything we can."
Chick is scheduled for a hearing before Senior Judge Frederick J. Scullin Jr. in the U.S. Federal Court in Syracuse Jan. 24 at 10:30 a.m.
Read the full report in Wednesday's edition of The Citizen.
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Post your comment - click hereThere are 6 comment(s)
mjn wrote on Jan 10, 2007 9:41 AM:
Hammer wrote on Jan 10, 2007 9:21 AM:
He is guilty wrote on Jan 10, 2007 8:21 AM:
Now it is the county that has wrote on Jan 10, 2007 6:13 AM:
Jerry Morgan Sr wrote on Jan 10, 2007 5:36 AM:
I'm guilty!!! wrote on Jan 9, 2007 11:11 PM: