By June Mercer | Local News | October 28, 2026
Dutchess County
Wednesday was quiet on the local release front. No new statements arrived from the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office, the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, the Beacon Police Department, the Hyde Park Police Department, the Fishkill Police Department, the Dutchess County District Attorney's Office, or New York State Police Troop K. The day's public-safety news came from three directions: a Poughkeepsie man charged in a gunpoint robbery across the Hudson in Newburgh, a State Police Troop K request for the public's help identifying a man whose photographs troopers have released, and a reported resignation tied to an arrest in a Putnam County case Dutchess County handled after local prosecutors stepped aside.
Poughkeepsie Man Charged in Newburgh Gunpoint Robbery
Newburgh city police have charged a Poughkeepsie man in a gunpoint robbery reported October 22 in the City of Newburgh, according to the Times Herald-Record.
Police said the robbery was reported on City Terrace, and detectives on the Non-Fatal Shooting Task Force began canvassing the area.
Detectives found a person matching the description of the suspect riding a scooter near the intersection of First Street and Carpenter Avenue. When they tried to stop him near a residence on Grand Street, he abandoned the scooter and fled on foot.
The suspect was pursued through several backyards and over multiple fences, and he was taken into custody near 114 First St.
Police identified the suspect as Carlos Diggs, 38, of Poughkeepsie. He was charged with first-degree robbery and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, both felonies. A detective recovered a 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun at the scene.
Court information and the name of Diggs' attorney were not immediately available.
Troop K Asks Public to Identify Bank Impersonator
The second item reaches beyond the county line, but the request comes from the troop that patrols Dutchess County. New York State Police Troop K is asking for the public's help identifying a man accused of using a false identity to steal thousands of dollars, according to Hudson Valley Country, reporting a State Police press release.
The first incident happened on September 25 at the Bank of Greene County in Ravena. Police say the man presented a fraudulent New York State driver's license and successfully withdrew $9,000.
He also allegedly attempted to withdraw another $9,000 from Arrow Bank in the Town of Glens Falls. Using a fraudulent military Veterans Affairs identification card, he allegedly attempted that second withdrawal, and it was unsuccessful.
The New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation in Livingston is working to identify the man as part of a multi-jurisdictional grand larceny and criminal impersonation investigation. Troopers have released photographs of the man and hope someone recognizes him.
Anyone who recognizes the man or has information about either incident is asked to contact the New York State Police at 845-677-7300 and reference case number NY2601197370.
Police have not released the suspect's name or indicated whether additional banks may have been targeted. Both banks sit outside Dutchess County, and no Dutchess County bank has been named in the release. The item runs here because Troop K covers Dutchess County, issued the request, and uses that same tip number for local cases.
Putnam Deputy Resigns in Case Dutchess County Handled
The third item comes from Putnam County, with a Dutchess County courtroom in the middle of it. A Putnam County Sheriff's deputy who was charged in a domestic incident has resigned, according to The Highlands Current, reporting Halston Media, which publishes the Mahopac News.
Citing Sheriff Brian Hess, Halston Media reported that Kevin Osika left on October 23 under a disciplinary settlement that included the loss of 30 days' pay. The Sheriff's Office did not respond to a request by The Highlands Current for confirmation.
Following his arrest in February on charges of assault and harassment, Osika was suspended by the Sheriff's Office for 30 days without pay. Dutchess County handled the criminal case after Putnam prosecutors recused themselves because of their interactions with Osika and Crowley. The judge sealed the outcome.
On September 22, Hess asked the Putnam Legislature to open an ethics investigation into Osika's wife, Legislator Erin Crowley, alleging she pressured him to retain her husband, according to a letter obtained by Hudson Valley Digger. The Sheriff's Office on Monday, October 26 denied a Freedom of Information Law request from The Highlands Current to verify the document.
Hess told legislators he offered to transfer Osika to a Corrections Department job where he would not carry a firearm, but Crowley rejected the offer. He alleged that Crowley, also a deputy district director for Rep. Mike Lawler, threatened to seek assistance from the White House.
Hess told Halston Media: "That made me laugh." He added: "It is so ridiculous. I am not going to be bullied."
Charges are accusations; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
No release dated October 28 was found from the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office (its newest release is dated October 23), the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, the Hyde Park Police Department, the Beacon Police Department, the Fishkill Police Department, or the Dutchess County District Attorney's Office.
