By ANDREA VanVALKENBURG
FRANKLIN — Two former Paul Smith’s College campus-safety officers are facing charges after they allegedly threatened a local woman and refused to let her call for help.
Brian L. Taylor and Shawn A. Hopseker, both 37 and of Saranac Lake, were taken into custody Tuesday morning shortly after they allegedly barged into the woman’s Franklin residence and disabled her phone.
Ray Brook-based State Police said the off-duty officers broke into the home around 4:50 a.m. to harass the woman, who used to date one of the men.
Police went to the home after the woman’s 8-year-old child managed to call 911 by cell phone.
Both men are now facing misdemeanor charges of third-degree menacing, fourth-degree criminal mischief and endangering the welfare of a child.
After being arraigned on the charges, both Taylor and Hopseker posted to $1,000 bail and were released from custody.
They will reappear in Franklin Town Court on Oct. 29.
Effective Wednesday, the men were no longer employed at the college, said campus spokesperson Kenneth Aaron.
He declined to comment on the allegations and would not say whether the officers’ positions on campus ended through resignations or terminations.
E-mail Andrea VanValkenburg at:
avanvalkenburg@pressrepublican.com
