POUGHKEEPSIE – A 48-year-old man who made several threats against the Hyde Park Police Department and specific personnel was arraigned before Dutchess County Court Judge Edward McLoughlin. Michael Cavagnolo, a convicted felon, was arrested by members of the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office in early March and charged with the felony of making a terroristic threat.
When he was originally arraigned in March, he was remanded to the Dutchess County Jail on $50,000 bail. His public defender argued that the Hyde Park Justice Court set bail even though he should have received an appearance ticket. The county court disagreed and Cavagnolo remained in the jail while evidence was presented to the grand jury.
The grand jury indicted Cavagnolo this month on a total of seven felony counts of making a terroristic threat and he was arraigned on Monday in county court.
Prosecutors say that Cavagnolo made seven calls to the Hyde Park Police Department on March 5, 2024, demanding that a specific officer be sent to his Haviland Road home to engage in a physical altercation. When his requests were countered, the defendant threatened to harm the dispatcher he spoke to as well as her family. He also threatened to bring grenades and guns to the police station “to shoot the place up.” All seven calls were made on the recorded emergency line.
When the threats escalated, Hyde Park Police requested the assistance of the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, which sent several units to the Haviland Road area to protect the neighborhood and the Haviland Road Middle School.
After six threats, Cavagnolo was taken into custody by the sheriff’s office. While being processed, the defendant made comments to the detectives, implying he was going to murder members of the Hyde Park Police, saying he was “going to shoot those Hyde Park officers in the head,” adding “I am going to kill them and their families,” when he was released from custody.
After entering a plea of not guilty on Monday, Cavagnolo listened as Judge McLoughlin set bail at $150,000 cash, $ 250,000 bond, or $750,000 partially secured bond, over the objection of his public defender. The public defender stated that the original bail ruling was being appealed and a hearing was being held in the appellate court on April 22, 2024. The argument did not sway the judge and Cavagnolo was returned to the county jail.
