KINGSTON, N.Y. (NEWS10)-- A former Saugerties police officer was arraigned on an 11-count indictment in connection to crimes committed in 2020 and 2021 during his time as an officer. A grand jury indicted Dion Johnson, 35, of Newburgh, for sex abuse and burglary charges.
According to the Ulster County District Attorney's Office, during Johnson's time as a police officer, he allegedly stalked and harassed a person leading up to a sexual assault and burglary of the victim in August 2020. The indictment also alleges that from July 2020 to October 2021, he engaged in further workplace sexual harassment and unwanted sexual contact while in uniform.
The investigation was initially part of an internal affairs investigation conducted by the Saugerties Police Department. The investigation was later referred to the New York State Attorney General's Office, upon completing its investigation the Attorney General’s Office made a referral in July of last year to Ulster County District Attorney.
"The conduct in this case is thoroughly disappointing and intolerable for anyone in law enforcement. It has the capacity to hemorrhage and severely tarnish the reputation of the Saugerties Police Officers and everyone who honorably serves in law enforcement," District Attorney Emmanuel C. Nneji said. "It undermines public faith in the integrity of police work and criminal prosecutions, and it can grossly impact otherwise credible criminal investigations if an officer who engages in such conduct were to become a key witness and cross-examined in a criminal case. Dion Johnson’s conduct as charged in the indictment is simply unacceptable for an officer."
Johnson was released to pretrial supervision following an application for $25,000 cash bail. The case is being prosecuted by District Attorney Emmanuel C. Nneji and Sajaa S. Ahmed; Johnson is being represented by Joey Drillings of the Office of the Ulster County Public Defender.
