Ulster County Man Who Harassed Local Elected Official Found Guilty

An Ulster County man who was accused of harassing and taunting a local elected official was found guilty.

On Wednesday in Ulster County Court, after less than fifteen minutes of deliberations, a six-member jury found 59-year-old Michael E. Wendel of Wawarsing guilty of criminal contempt, a misdemeanor.

According to the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office, on December 17, 2015, Wendel violated an Order of Protection, which was issued for the protection of Ulster County Comptroller Elliot Auerbach.

On that evening, Wendel aggressively approached Auerbach in the Wawarsing Town Hall in the Village of Ellenville. At that time he placed himself within inches of Auerbach, with a camera in his hand, and made harassing and taunting statements to the Ulster County Comptroller.

Wendell will be sentenced on April 17, 2017.

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