Former Duanesburg Highway Superintendent Steve Perog is awaiting court disposition of a petty larceny arrest in Rhinebeck earlier this winter.
Rhinebeck police Sgt. Peter Dunn confirmed Perog’s arrest Jan. 26 following an investigation of theft, which revealed Perog, 51, of Delanson, was taking water from the Village Highway Department Garage for his Dutchess County-based business, Capitol Supply. He was arrested and charged with petty larceny, a class A misdemeanor, and was released on an appearance ticket.
Perog, who served as Duanesburg’s highway superintendent from 2009 to 2011, was often the center of controversy during his term as a town official. On Friday, he told The Gazette he did nothing wrong to deserve the charge.
The Delanson resident said he was doing work for Capitol Supply and got permission to use water from the highway garage.
“This charge was over $1.36 of water, which is about 220 gallons,” Perog explained. “The village clerk calculated the amount of money — it’s $6 per 1,000 gallons.”
“This is an open case in the court system, so I cannot make any comment on it,” Rhinebeck Mayor Heath Tortarella said Friday.
Perog had been scheduled to appear in Rhinebeck Town Court at 2 p.m. Wednesday but that court date has since been postponed.
Dutchess County Assistant District Attorney Allison Stewart said the judges in town of Rhinebeck court recused themselves from the case, which is now pending in county court.
“There is no new date or jurisdiction until the county court makes a decision,” Stewart said Friday.
Perog said his court date was “canceled” because his charges will be dropped.
“This case will be dismissed and I guarantee, the charges will be dropped,” Perog said. “My lawyer said I have a clean record, which the DA will look at and say, ‘We’re not going to prosecute a person with a clean record for $1.36 worth of water.’”
Reach Gazette reporter Kate Seckinger at 395-3113, kseck[email protected] or @KateSeckinger on Twitter on Twitter.
Categories: -News-, Schenectady County
