A former Tioga County Undersheriff has been awarded millions in damages for a lawsuit filed against the county, sheriff’s office and two individuals at the sheriff’s office.
In 2022, Wayne Moulton accused Tioga County Sheriff Gary Howard and Captain of Operations Shawn Nalepa of using false information to wrongfully accuse him of misconduct and prevent him from running for sheriff.
Howard accused Moulton and another sheriff’s office employee of misconduct in May of 2020.
According to court documents, Moulton was given a choice to either retire or be fired immediately.
Moulton retired from the sheriff’s office, which allowed him to pursue other government employment in the field of law enforcement. It also allowed him to carry a concealed weapon.
However, in May of 2021, Moulton received notice that his name had been removed from the Division of Criminal Justice Services retired employee registry. A letter stated that Moulton ceased to serve the Sheriff’s Department due to alleged incompetence or misconduct.
Moulton filed the lawsuit in the Northern District of New York, US District Court in 2022.
A jury found the defendants guilty of violting Moulton’s First and Fourteenth Amendment Rights, as well as defamation.
Moulton was awarded $1.5 million dollars for econimic damages and another $500,000 for non-economic damages.
