Troubles continue

By TOM KANE

NARROWSBURG - Tusten Town Justice Ralph Huebner agreed last Friday to adjourn two criminal case hearings against actor Richard Castellano until September 8 at 10:00 a.m. in Tusten Town Court. The cases involve an assault charge in the third degree against Robert Schaffer of Narrowsburg and a bad check given to Narrowsburg chicken farmer John Borg.

The adjournment was granted because an offer was made by the District Attorney for a possible plea bargain. "All three parties have to agree," Huebner said, meaning "the DA, the defendant and the judge." The matter has yet to be settled, but a plea bargain could avoid a trial, he said.

Borg said that he intends to bring more bad check charges against Castellano for checks amounting to over $150,000.

Huebner said that on September 8, Castellano will also face three more civil cases. The first, for $3000, was brought by Shannon Holland, a former employee of the Narrowsburg International Independent Film Festival, of which Castellano is a co-principal with his wife Jocelyne. The second involves a failed promissory note for $2,000 to Robert and Valery Villani of Middletown. The third was brought by Sally Yorek of Paupack, PA for money given to Castellano to obtain a Screen Actors Guild card in the amount of $2,285.

Huebner announced that the $5,000 bail paid by Castellano on July 17 after his arrest for passing a bad check to Borg could be used toward restitution on the $5,000 owed to Borg.

The $25,000 bail set after Castellano was arrested for three counts of grand larceny two weeks ago has not been paid. Castellano remains in Sullivan County Jail.