Grand jury indicts Matthews on charges

WATKINS GLEN--Three days after the law firm representing Brandon Matthews announced the charges against their client were dismissed, a Schuyler County grand jury voted to indict the former sergeant in charge of the Watkins Glen Police Department, Friday, Dec. 17.
The state police had originally reported they arrested Brandon Matthews, Friday, Dec. 3 and he was charged with eight counts of perjury first degree and one count of official misconduct.
Last week, Tuesday, Dec. 14, the Buzzetti Law Office, who is representing Matthews and his wife Danielle, said they were successful in making a motion for the case to be dismissed, as Matthews did not testify before a grand jury. The law office press release said, "The charges themselves are fabrications. After the original grand jury no billed my clients in September of 2020, there has been a vendetta to ruin the lives of Brandon and Danielle Matthews."
However, after the dismissal, Special Prosecutor Yates County District Attorney Todd Casella reported, "A Schuyler County grand jury voted to indict former sergeant in charge of the Watkins Glen Police department, Brandon Matthews on Dec. 17, 2021. The indictment charges eight counts of perjury in the first degree (class D felony) and one count of official misconduct (class A misdemeanor)."
Casella explained the charges, "The perjury charges alleged that he perjured himself in testimony he provided to a previous Schuyler County grand jury concerning marijuana that was discovered by the New York State Police on his property in the Town of Dix. The official misconduct charge concerns allegations that he engaged in a pattern of sleeping on the job while employed by the Watkins Glen Police Department from approximately October of 2010 through approximately April of 2018."
A suit by the Matthews' against the mayor and village of Watkins Glen was dismissed in court documents dated Nov. 30, 2021. Attorney Matthew Buzzetti said his clients and himself are planning to "rectify" a court "error" with three causes of action that were dropped before the case was dismissed.