Suspended Olive police officer Jason Huppert accused Police Chief Sean Ryan of falsifying or destroying documents relevant to Huppert’s disciplinary proceedings in retaliation for his discrimination complaint to the town supervisor.
Huppert, who is on unpaid leave while facing accusations of flashing his gun and badge at construction workers while off duty in 2023, filed a complaint with New York’s Division of Human Rights a year later, claiming the town discriminated against him as a veteran disabled by post-traumatic stress disorder. The division ruled in favor of the town this year.
“It is my belief that Chief Ryan retaliated against me for my complaint of discrimination to the town supervisor in November of 2023,” Huppert said during Olive’s Aug. 12 town board meeting. He also said Ryan deleted details from incident reports involving Huppert’s disciplinary proceedings.
The criticism comes as Huppert awaits a final appeal to his disciplinary case, now set for October. It comes on previous complaints by Huppert that Ryan left his department-issued gun in a bathroom at the Ulster County Sheriff’s office and drove far too fast in police vehicles when not responding to emergency calls.
Olive is investigating Huppert’s claims, said Drew Boggess, a town board member who also serves as the liaison to the police department. He said that probe may be complete by the end of this month.
Huppert also contends that Ryan is unfit to be police chief because he was suspended by the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office in 2011 after being arrested on charges of official misconduct and possession of a controlled substance. Ryan had illegally bought eight oxycodone pills while in a marked uniformed vehicle, the Times Herald-Record reported at the time.
Olive Supervisor Jim Sofranko defended the decision to hire Ryan, who was named chief in 2019.
“The board was aware of [Ryan’s] past history and had reason to believe this would not be a recurring problem,” Sofranko said. “And since he’s been on the police force, there haven’t been any issues related to his past history.”
Huppert also faces accusations that he assaulted his sister, Heather Schwegler, on Jan.14 at a family member’s home in Glenford. Darius Huppert, Jason’s brother, said Jason Huppert “grabbed Heather by the throat and slammed her head against a wall,” according to a state police report. Schwegler couldn’t be reached for comment.
In response to that complaint, Jason Huppert filed an incident report with state police that accused Darius Huppert of choking him during a family dispute at the same home on Dec. 24, 2024.
Jason huppert was charged with harrassment and is due in Hurley court September 9. Darius Huppert was charged with obstruction of breathing and has a court hearing in Hurley court on Aug. 19.
“It is really sad that nothing has been done about Jason,” Darius Huppert said. “This has messed with my entire family. Jason needs help, but he will never get it.”
Jason Huppert called the family disputes a distraction, saying, “My personal affairs with my family have nothing to do with misconduct at the police department.”
Ryan also drew criticism at the Olive board meeting from Robert Fehring, a Republican who is running for town supervisor against incumbent Jim Sofranko. Fehring told the board that Ryan trespassed on his Shokan property, citing surveillance video that shows Ryan and another officer searched two sheds while he was away.
Fehring didn’t file a complaint at the time and said he couldn’t recall the exact date, estimating that it took place “six or seven years ago.”
Ryan said at the meeting that he wouldn’t address any of the accusations. He didn’t return requests for further comment.
Fehring should have complained to the town’s police commission, Sofranko said after the meeting.
“Mr. Fehring, as a candidate for the town supervisor position, should know that any complaints about the police department should be sent to the commission to avoid any possible political interference,” Sofranko said. “His complaint to the town board at a public meeting seems to suggest he feels better about making it political.”
Jim Rich is a reporter for The Overlook. You can reach him at jim@theoverlooknews.com.