MONTICELLO – The Appellate Division, Third Department of State Supreme Court has reinstated the indictment against James Snowden, the former code enforcement officer for the Village of Monticello.
He was charged in 2014, along with then-Mayor Gordon Jenkins, with bribe receiving, criminal mischief, conspiracy, official misconduct, endangering the public health, safety or environment and criminal nuisance. Jenkins pled guilty and was forced to leave office.
In a decision dated April 5, the appellate court disputed the county court’s contention that there was no harm to the environment or individuals near the demolished building, which contained asbestos.
The two men were charged with authorizing the demolition of the village’s old justice court building without the village board’s approval. The indictment alleged the men agreed that in exchange for a discounted demolition fee by the contractors, they would funnel more demolition work to them in the future.
Snowden filed motions three times to dismiss his indictment. On the third time Sullivan County Court Judge Frank LaBuda granted it “in the furtherance of justice.”
