Monticello, NY - On September 29, 2026, Sullivan County District Attorney Brian P. Conaty announced that Richard Olsen, 40, of Liberty, and Jonathan Nipitella, 45, of Kiamesha Lake, were sentenced to lengthy periods of incarceration upon their convictions for Attempted Gang Assault in the First Degree, a Class C violent felony, by the Sullivan County Court. Specifically, the Honorable James R. Farrell, who presided over the jury trial, sentenced Olsen to 15 years’ incarceration to be followed by 5-years of post-release supervision while Nipitella was sentenced to 14 years’ incarceration to be followed by 5-years of post-release supervision. These sentences were consistent with the District Attorney’s recommendations as the maximum sentence permitted by law for a conviction of Attempted Gang Assault in the First Degree is 15 years’ incarceration.
These two convictions followed a 6-day jury trial which established that on March 28, 2025, at the Knights Inn in Liberty the defendants, Nipitella and Olsen, attempted to cause serious physical injury to the victim, Dylan Pascariello, in an unprovoked attack, by violently beating him and kicking him in the head after he attempted to retreat. As a result of this assault, the victim was rushed to the hospital where he was treated for a facial fracture and internal hemorrhaging of his brain. The Village of Liberty Police Department conducted this investigation and worked quickly to secure key video evidence which was essential to the prosecution of the case and securing these convictions as the victim was unable to identify his assailants.
Conaty said: “The people of our community deserve to live without fear of being violently assaulted. These lengthy sentences ensure that these defendants will not victimize another member of our community for the foreseeable future. I wish the victim a swift recovery and commend him for coming forward to report this terrible crime and cooperating with the prosecution of this case. I also commend the jury for their dedication and attentiveness during this six day trial and, ultimately, returning a just verdict. I also wish to thank the Village of Liberty Police Department for promptly responding to this crime and collecting the crucial evidence required to secure this just verdict.”
