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A Saugerties police officer, Sydney Mills, has been arrested and charged with rape and other crimes. Mills, 53, was taken into custody on Monday (July 14) by the Ulster County Sheriff's Office Emergency Response Team at the Saugerties police headquarters. The charges include two felony counts of criminal sexual act and rape, as well as a misdemeanor charge of sexual abuse.
The investigation began several months ago after the Saugerties Police Department received a tip about alleged misconduct. Police Chief Ken Swart Jr. partnered with Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel Nneji to conduct a thorough investigation. According to Chief Swart, the indictment includes a count of criminal sexual act in the second degree, which states that Mills engaged in oral sexual conduct with an individual under 15 years of age. Other counts involve conduct with an individual under 17.
Mills was arraigned in Ulster County Court before Judge Bryan Rounds and is being held in the Ulster County Jail without bail. The Saugerties Police Department emphasized its commitment to transparency and accountability, assuring the community that they take these allegations seriously and will cooperate fully with the investigation.
This incident follows another case of officer misconduct in Saugerties earlier this year, involving former officer Dion Johnson, who pleaded guilty to criminal trespass and official misconduct.