MAMAKATING - Scott Mace, a Town of Thompson council member who was arrested May 10 by New York State Police and charged with felony criminal possession of narcotics in the 4th degree, is scheduled to appear before Judge Terrence F. Mullen in Town of Mamakating Court on Tuesday, October 5.
He was also charged with one other felony (falsifying business records) and a misdemeanor (petty larceny). Both Town of Thompson judges had to recuse themselves.
Mace, who was first elected in 2011 and who has also served as deputy supervisor, is the former owner of the Rock Hill Pharmacy.
Mace is being represented by Newburgh criminal defense attorney John Ingrassia, whose practice includes "defending individuals accused of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. " The SullivanTimes today left a voice mail for Ingrassia seeking comment about the case.
A clerk at the Town of Mamakating Court said the case is being prosecuted by Michael Puma, but that is not a name that's familiar to this media outlet in connection with the Sullivan County District Attorney's Office. (On September 13, The SullivanTimes made a Freedom of Information Law request to the County and asking for the current roster of Assistant District Attorneys in Sullivan after District Attorney Meagan Galligan told the County Legislature that there were only four ADA's left in her office after starting 2021 with nine. A reply came back saying that an answer to that request would be made no later than September 27, which is Monday).
Although it was initially believed that Mace would end his campaign to challenge Democrat incumbent Bill Rieber for the Town Supervisor position in November, the Sullivan County Board of Elections said today that Mace remains on the ballot.
However, Mace did delete his campaign page from Facebook soon after the The SullivanTimes reported on his arrest.
The Sullivan County Republican Committee thus far has been silent about Mace's arrest and continued candidacy. But a source with knowledge of the campaign told The SullivanTimes that Mace is quietly seeking votes from a large segment of the Orthodox Jewish community that has close ties with Republicans and especially Sheriff Michael Schiff.
In May, the arrest of Mace was confirmed by Troop F spokesperson Steven Nevel and the charges were confirmed by the Town of Thompson court. However, Nevel told The SullivanTimes at the time that no further information was available about the arrest.
Mace's name does not appear in the Troop F newsroom reports (that includes arrests) that's available to the public online.
A source with knowledge of the arrest said that the narcotic possession was for oxycontin, which is prescribed for severe pain and which is known to be extremely addictive.
The Food and Drug Administration describes oxycontin as "a strong prescription pain medicine that contains an opioid (narcotic) that is used to manage pain severe enough to require daily around-the-clock, long-term treatment with an opioid, when other pain treatments such as non-opioid pain medicines or immediate-release opioid medicines do not treat your pain well enough or you cannot tolerate them."
Mace owned the Rock Hill Pharmacy from 2004 until 2018.
Note: This story was updated on October 6 to correct the number of felonies that Mace has been charged with. It was two, not one, as originally reported. The SullivanTimes regrets the error.