DPW director gave statement against Gloversville mayor

PHOTOGRAPHER: File Photo

Gloversville Mayor Dayton King arrives for a court appearance on Dec. 20, 2017.

GLOVERSVILLE — Court documents related to the arrest of Gloversville Mayor Dayton King reveal that Department of Public Works Director Dale Trumbull provided a sworn statement supporting the charges against King.

King was arrested by state police on Nov. 14 and charged with a felony charge of falsifying business records and misdemeanor counts of official misconduct and petty larceny. All three charges stem from allegation that King, 40, used the Gloversville City Hall postage meter for his personal business.

The charging documents filed by the state police claim King used the city postage meter, a device that prints the equivalent of a stamp onto postage, between Jan. 5 and Oct. 15, 2018, in the amount of $473.07

The court filing lists Trumbull as having provided a sworn deposition supporting both misdemeanor charges.

A copy of Trumbull’s deposition, which is written in a “Q and A” format, show’s Trumbull, 54, of 128 Gray Road, Mayfield, agreed to be interviewed without his lawyer present by Gloversville police detective Sgt. R. Richardson on Oct. 22.

In the interview, Richardson asks whether Trumbull had received a letter recently from Howard Hanna Realty, where King works as a real estate broker. Trumbull said he had received a letter that he believed came from King and that he had turned the letter over to the city Police Department.

The deposition reads:

Q: “What is the reasoning that you believe the lelter came from Dayton King?”

A: “Has his hand writing on the front of the letter.”

Richardson then asked about the postage on the letter.

Q: “Have you received any other letters in the past from Dayton King, with this style of postage on it?”

A: “No, he usually just drops stuff on my desk without postage.”

Trumbull was nominated by King in January 2016 and unanimously approved by the city Common Council for his position.

The felony charge of falsifying business records says that King entered the personal use of the postage meter into the city ledger, but does not elaborate on the allegation that he falsified the record. The felony charge is supported by State Trooper Craig A. Eggleston, and is based on his “direct knowledge” of the alleged crime.

King pleaded not guilty to the charges against him on Nov. 20 in Gloversville City Court before Amsterdam City Court Judge Lisa Lorman, who sat in for Gloversville’s two judges, Traci DiMezza and Corey Dalmata, who had recused themselves.

King has referred comment on the matter to his lawyers. He is represented by the Abdella Law Office in Gloverville. His lawyers could not be reached for comment.

King recently settled a previous criminal charge stemming from a mayoral debate last year in which details of the city personnel file of his opponent, city firefighter William Rowback Jr., were discussed. King’s release of the information during the debate was an alleged violation of Rowback’s New York state civil rights, which mandate that the personnel files of police and firefighters remain private.

King pleaded guilty in September to one count of second-degree harassment, a violation, which was a reduction from a felony charge of official misconduct. That charge stemmed from a complaint Rowback filed following the debate.

King paid a $250 fine and agreed to write a letter of apology to Rowback and to read the letter aloud at a City Council meeting last month.

King also received a period of probation after his plea deal. He is due back in court Jan. 9.