74°
CORTLANDT MANOR, N.Y. Retired Assistant District Attorney Frank Priolo is running against incumbent town justice, Daniel McCarthy. The retired ADA says that he will make the part-time position full-time.
A 29-year prosecutor, and a deputy bureau chief in the District Attorneys branch offices, says his goal is to devote his time exclusively to the position. I always hoped that would be the way it worked, said Priolo, I would retire from the DAs office, and I would become a judge and finish out my legal career.
Priolo spent time as a Special Assistant United States attorney for two years, working with law enforcement on organized crime cases involving wire taps and surveillance.
Having appeared in front of judges, having handled thousands and thousands of criminal cases, I know how to do the job better than most people. I dont think you could match my experience with anybody elses, said Priolo. He also added that many new judges must be taught basic procedures, like what to look for on a search warrant because of lack of criminal justice experience.
The most surprising part of Priolos job as an ADA, he said, was when people thanked him. One guy in particular, he said, he was always committing petty crimes, then he had the misfortune of committing a felony and he went to state prison.
Years later, Priolo found out that the man was working with a friend of his at a local store. He said, You know, by you doing what you did, you forced me to change. And he now was holding a job. Thats happened a couple times, said Priolo.
Priolo has lived in Cortlandt for 19 years, with his wife, Joann, and his children. Priolo is running as Democratic candidate for Cortlandt Town Justice. Election day is November 8. Town of Cortlandt justices earn $39,012 per year, without benefits.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Cortlandt and receive free news updates.
