By Kenneth C. Crowe II
Times Union, Albany
ALBANY, N.Y. — A Rensselaer County Jail sergeant who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in December has returned to work, county officials said Friday.
Sgt. Anthony Patricelli was back at the correctional facility Wednesday, according to Yvonne Keefe, a spokeswoman for Sheriff Jack Mahar.
Patricelli faced felony charges of computer trespass and falsifying government records and a misdemeanor count of official misconduct.
Patricelli was accused of telling another jail officer to run a criminal history of Peter Colantonio, a Florida resident, and to file documents showing a check of a new inmate’s criminal history had to be made.
Patricelli pleaded guilty Dec. 23 in Troy City Court to a misdemeanor count of unauthorized use of a computer. At the time, Patricelli’s attorney, Joe Ahearn, said his client would be able to return to work.
Patricelli returned at his civil service rank of sergeant with an annual salary of $56,763, Keefe said. Patricelli had the rank of master sergeant at the jail, but this was considered a “house rank” and has been eliminated.
Patricelli still faces a misdemeanor count of aggravated harassment in Schaghticoke Town Court for allegedly threatening in a telephone call to break the jaw of a jail officer, John Gorman. He is the brother of Patricelli’s ex-girlfriend.
The case in Schaghticoke was adjourned to February, Acting District Attorney Art Glass said. The defense and prosecution currently are involved in negotiations to resolve this criminal case, Glass said.
Patricelli, Mahar and the county are named in a federal lawsuit filed by Ruth Fredericks Vibert, who was fired as jail chief. Vibert, who seeks reinstatement with back pay and damages, claims she was fired by Mahar for not taking action against Gorman, who filed a complaint of workplace violence against Patricelli, a friend of Mahar’s.