To the editor:

Despite being classified as a mostly rural county with a year-round population of only 80,000 residents, Sullivan County is not immune to serious crime. While all of the county’s law enforcement agencies work diligently to detect and arrest offenders, the prosecution of defendants is the responsibility of District Attorney Brian Conaty and his staff.

Just this year alone, Brian Conaty and his assistant DAs have conducted jury trial prosecutions of two separate homicide cases and the attempted murder of a police officer. In March, Conaty secured the conviction of Drew Botsford, 48 of Liberty, for the murder of his father Lloyd Botsford, after a five-day trial. The defendant received a sentence of 25 years to life.

In June, the District Attorney’s Office secured the conviction of Keymarroo Guiden, 53, in the 2014 homicide of April Parker of Monticello. Brian Conaty decided to move forward with this case, which pre-dated his tenure as DA by more than a decade.

The defendant was found guilty and is scheduled for sentencing in October. In the third case, which was of great importance to my office, Brian Conaty personally prosecuted defendant Markell Jarrete, 30, for the April 2025 attempted murder of Deputy Sheriff Andrew Foertsch. Jarrette, who is a career criminal, was convicted after an eight-day trial and received a sentence of 40 years to life in state prison.

These three cases are just a snapshot of the criminal prosecutions that the District Attorney’s Office must deal with on a daily basis. Brian Conaty and his staff deserve recognition for the hard work and dedication they exhibit in holding accountable those who commit crimes in our county.

Michael A. Schiff

Sheriff of Sullivan County