ROCKLAND COUNTY CORRECTIONS OFFICER INDICTED FOR ATTEMPTED ASSAULT OF FELLOW OFFICER
NEW CITY, N.Y. – Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II announces the arraignment of Russell Thorne, 63, of Greenwood Lake, New York, following an indictment by a Rockland County Grand Jury. Thorne is a correction officer employed by the Rockland County Jail. Thorne was indicted on Attempted Assault in the Second Degree (PL § 110/120.05(5)), Attempted Assault in the Third Degree (PL § 110/120.00(1)), Official Misconduct (PL § 195.00), Prison Contraband in the Second Degree (PL §205.20(1)), Obstructing Governmental Administration in the Second Degree (PL § 195.05(1)), and Criminal Tampering in the Third Degree (PL § 145.14)).
On February 17, 2026, the victim reported to work at the Rockland County Jail located in New City in her capacity as a Rockland County Corrections Officer. During her shift, she stepped away from her coffee cup. While she was out of the vicinity of the cup, Thorne, while on duty in his official capacity as a corrections officer, abandoned his post to approach the victim’s unattended cup of coffee. Thorne proceeded to put a small object into the cup and left the room. The victim returned and subsequently took a sip of the coffee, at which point she felt a small hard object in her mouth. She spit out the object and observed it to be a pill, which was later identified as a laxative.
The defendant was identified and arrested by members of the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office on February 17, 2026.
“The safety and dignity of every employee in the workplace must be protected”, said Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II. “No individual should ever have to endure violence, intimidation, humiliation or abuse while performing their duties. These allegations of criminal conduct are serious, and my office will pursue this matter fully and fairly through the judicial process. The alleged conduct is not a prank or poor judgement; it is an act of humiliation, violence and exploitation. This indictment reflects our commitment to ensuring accountability wherever workplace violence occurs, be it within our Correctional facilities or any other worksite. Women, our spouses, mothers and daughters who serve in law enforcement and every other occupation have the right to work free from fear of harassment, humiliation and violence. We recognize that the vast majority of Correctional Officers serve with horo and integrity under incredibly difficult conditions and we must never let the unlawful action of any one individual diminish the dedication of the many who serve. However, we must prosecute any misconduct by correctional staff because ignoring criminal behavior within the walls of the Rockland County Correctional Facility compromises the safety of every decent Correctional Officer and betrays the public trust”.
The case was investigated by the Rockland County Sheriff's Office.
The defendant appeared before the Honorable David Ascher, Judge of the Rockland County Court and was released on his own recognizance.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Kaitlin Deluca.
It should be noted that a criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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