The criminal case against former Waterloo Town Supervisor Don Trout will go before a new Seneca County grand jury this month, giving him an opportunity to testify after his attorney challenged the original indictment.
Special prosecutor Todd Casella told the Finger Lakes Times that defense attorney Ralph Alloco and County Judge Barry Porsch agreed to the new presentation.
Alloco sought dismissal in June, arguing Trout had not been given an opportunity to exercise his right to testify before the first grand jury. Trout did not testify during that presentation.
The charges stem from an alleged March 2024 entry into Waterloo’s Highway Department building. Prosecutors accuse Trout and former Town Board member Bob Lotz of damaging a television that some board members had directed be removed.
Trout pleaded not guilty and remains free on his own recognizance.
Lotz resolved his case in April by pleading guilty to fourth-degree criminal mischief, a misdemeanor, as FingerLakes1 previously reported. His conditional discharge included an agreement to testify at Trout’s trial if one occurs.
The new grand jury presentation follows arguments over Alloco’s dismissal motion. It does not determine Trout’s guilt or innocence.
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