MADISON COUNTY — On Aug. 19 local attorney and Cazenovia Village Associate Judge Rhonda Youngs launched a write-in campaign for Madison County Judge in the Nov. 8, election.
She made the announcement following an alleged overdose involving Brad Moses, who is the only candidate whose name will appear on the ballot.
“The people who come into Madison County Court deserve a judge with unquestioned integrity and character,” said Youngs. “I have the experience and qualifications to serve, and am asking the voters of Madison County to write in my name on their ballots in November.”
In her statement Youngs commented on the alleged situation involving Moses.
“Brad Moses has been a fellow attorney who I’ve considered a friend. My heart truly goes out to him and his family during this tough time,” Youngs said. “But the shocking reports from law enforcement and the media regarding the use of illegal drugs and overdoses at his home, as well as his own admissions regarding substance abuse, show that he is unfit to serve as county judge. His actions reflect a dangerous lack of judgment and a complete disregard for the law. Such behavior from a judicial candidate is disrespectful to the voters and to anyone who may appear in the courtroom over the next ten years.”
As previously reported, on Friday, Aug. 5, Madison County District Attorney (DA) William Gabor announced in a statement that a member of his office had offered his resignation following “a life-threatening incident” in the Town of Nelson on July 30, 2022.
According to a statement issued by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 5, deputies and the Cazenovia Area Volunteer Ambulance Corps (CAVAC) were dispatched to a Nelson residence — later determined to be that of Assistant District Attorney Bradley J. Moses, 44 — at approximately 8:55 p.m. regarding a possible overdose.
The 911 caller advised the responders that two individuals were unconscious and unresponsive inside the residence, the sheriff’s office said.
Upon arrival, deputies found two subjects inside who were unconscious with agonal breathing — a medical term used to describe struggling to breathe or gasping for air.
The sheriff’s office reported that both individuals were given multiple doses of Narcan by the deputies and CAVAC personnel and then transported to Syracuse area hospitals for treatment. Both subjects were treated and released.
Narcan is a brand name of naloxone, which is designed to rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
According to the sheriff’s office, witnesses advised the responders that the two victims had ingested a substance purported to be cocaine prior to becoming unconscious and unresponsive.
The sheriff’s office also said deputies recovered a sample of the purported narcotics during the execution of a search warrant. The sample field tested positive for fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times more potent than heroin and, according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, 50-100 times stronger than morphine.
In his Aug. 5 statement, Gabor reported that the DA’s office was aware of “a life-threatening incident” that occurred on July 30 in Nelson.
“The Madison County Sheriff’s Office responded and is completing its investigation,” Gabor said. “One of the individuals involved was a member of the District Attorney’s Office. He is completing a Family Leave application to address a personal problem and has offered his resignation; which will be accepted.”
Moses described a different version of the July 30 incident in a statement posted on his campaign page, Bradmoses.com.
He recounted that after returning home from a golf tournament on Saturday night, he lost consciousness and was taken to a Syracuse emergency room, where, after several tests, it was determined that he had acute kidney failure caused by severe dehydration as a result of high alcohol consumption coupled with the hot weather.
According to Moses, a toxicology screen performed at the hospital showed that there were no illegal drugs in his system.
“I recognize I have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol that requires I receive the necessary help to overcome,” Moses wrote. “I have taken a medical leave from the District Attorney’s office and I have already begun taking the appropriate measures to get better. I truly appreciate all the support I have received from my family and friends and look forward to focusing on being the best person I can be for my family.”
Moses was sworn in as an assistant district attorney in Madison County in 2017.
According to his campaign website, he handled felony level cases ranging from attempted murder and manslaughter to robbery, domestic violence, and felony DWI charges.
He previously worked for the Mackenzie Hughes Law Firm in Syracuse and maintained a private law practice in Cazenovia for six years.
In an Aug. 8 update on the situation, Gabor said Moses will use up some of his sick time, vacation time, and personal time, to which he is entitled, on a Family Leave to address his personal issues and officially resign on Sept. 30, 2022.
“His DA badge has been retrieved, we have retained his DA computer, and his access to the DA Office and all DA files has been terminated,” Gabor said. “He is scheduled to pick-up all of his personal belongings and submit his resignation letter today.”
The DA also stated that Moses is unlikely to be charged with any crime.
He explained that the evidence shows that although the misdemeanor crime of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh degree was committed, the so-called “Good Samaritan Law” under Penal Law section 220.78 states that a person who seeks health care for someone experiencing a drug or alcohol overdose or a person experiencing a drug or alcohol overdose shall not be charged or prosecuted for a controlled substance offense.
“DAs in the State of New York, as do I, support this law because we do not want to deter someone from calling for emergency assistance, for fear of arrest, in a life-threatening incident,” said Gabor. “If an arrest was made, of course, the Madison County DA Office would have a conflict and would apply for a Special Prosecutor to handle the case.”
Additionally, Gabor confirmed that the county’s investigation into the incident was ongoing and that the sample of the substance recovered at the scene would undergo further testing.
As this was being reported, Moses was still a candidate for Madison County Court Judge, according to Madison County Republican Committee Chairman Todd Rouse. Endorsed by the Republican and Conservative Parties, he is currently the only candidate on the ballot.
The sheriff’s office encourages any individuals who have knowledge of the July 30 incident, particularly regarding the source of the purported narcotics, to call 315-366-2311. Members of the public can also leave anonymous tips at madisoncounty.nv.qov/1650/Report-Crime-Drug-Tip.
The chairs of the Madison County Republican and Conservative Committees have both called on Moses to withdraw from the race, which he has so far refused.
As of press time Moses has not issued any further statement.
The Madison County Republican Executive Committee and Town Chairs voted to revoke their previous endorsement of Moses and, instead, fully support a write-in effort to elect Youngs.
“There was broad consensus among the Republican Committee that Brad Moses is unfit to serve as county judge,” Madison County Republican Chairman Todd Rouse said. “We are thoroughly disappointed in his behavior and actions – both in terms of the life-threatening situation and his refusal to remove his name from the ballot. We are proudly backing Rhonda Youngs in a write-in campaign and will work our tails off from now through Nov. 8 to ensure her election as Madison County judge.”
Last week, the Madison County Conservative Party revoked its previous endorsement of Moses and endorsed Youngs for the position.
“Rhonda Youngs is a person of character and integrity, which is exactly what we need in our new Madison County judge,” Chairman Chris Kendall said. “Brad Moses’s behavior is abhorrent and dishonorable in every way. He was already removed from his position as Assistant District Attorney. I cannot fathom he believes it is acceptable to take office as County Judge. I’m imploring Conservatives, Republicans, Democrats and Independents to unite to ensure that Rhonda Youngs is elected this November.”
Based on New York State election laws and regulations, Moses’s name cannot be removed from the ballot this late in the year, and all deadlines have passed for any other candidate’s name to be placed on the ballot.
The only way that Moses could lose the election is if enough Madison County voters write in “Rhonda Youngs” on their ballots.
This judgeship is on the ballot following the elevation of former Madison County Judge Patrick J. O’Sullivan to State Supreme Court. If elected, Youngs would become the first female County Judge in Madison County history.
For the past six years, Youngs has worked alongside Judge O’Sullivan as his Court Attorney. In this role, she works every day on all aspects of county court, family court, and surrogate’s court matters – researching and analyzing complex legal issues, drafting opinions and court orders, advising and assisting the judge during trials, conducting conferences with litigants to clarify issues to be resolved, settling difficult cases, and more.
Additionally, Youngs was recently appointed as associate judge in the Village of Cazenovia, providing her with even more courtroom experience.
Madison County Judges are known as “three-hat” judges because they oversee county court (criminal matters), family court and surrogate’s court. As court attorney, Youngs has experience in all three types of court matters. As a pistol permit holder herself, she is also familiar with the Pistol Permit review process overseen by county judges.
Prior to being appointed as court attorney, Youngs worked as a private practice attorney in Cazenovia with Stokes Youngs PLLC and Mitchell Goris Stokes & O’Sullivan LLC for six years, where she handled all types of cases for clients throughout Upstate New York. Before that, she began her career at Hancock Estabrook, a large firm in Syracuse.
Beyond her professional work, Youngs has been active in community service as a member of the Madison County Bar Association (president 2015-16), New York State Bar Association, American Legion Auxiliary and Burton Street Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association. She also serves on the Committee on Character & Fitness for the Third Judicial Department in the Sixth Judicial District, helping to investigate and assess applicants seeking admission to the New York State Bar.
A lifelong Upstate New Yorker, Youngs lives in Cazenovia with her husband, Jim, and their two young children.
