4 days ago
Monroe County Jail deputies plead guilty to role in inmate fights
Two deputies from the Monroe County Jail have admitted to official misconduct after an investigation into inmate fights last fall.
Both deputies were arrested in March after a three-month-long internal investigation led to criminal charges.
Deputy Dominic Kujawa, 21, was charged with felony assault and official misconduct after the sheriff's office accused him of "enabling" one inmate to assault another and failing to intervene during the fight.
While investigating that incident, jail officials accused a second deputy, 20-year-old Dominic Denaro, of alerting inmates before cell searches. Denaro was arraigned on misdemeanor charges including official misconduct and obstruction of governmental administration.
Both men pleaded guilty May 30 to the official misconduct charges, with an agreed-upon sentence of three years probation, the Monroe County District Attorney's Office confirmed.
In March, the sheriff's office said it planned to fire Kujawa. He resigned shortly after. Denaro has also resigned from his post.
Jail officials in December announced they were investigating a series of fights between two inmates inside the jail's housing unit. One person needed hospital treatment for injuries. An inmate told a supervisor about the fights and the alleged involvement of jail deputies during routine rounds, officials said.
Two other unnamed deputies remain on leave as internal and criminal investigations continue.
— Kayla Canne covers community safety for the Democrat and Chronicle with a focus on police accountability, government surveillance and how people are impacted by violence. Follow her on Twitter @kaylacanne and @bykaylacanne on Instagram. Get in touch at kcanne@
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Dominic Kujawa, Monroe County Jail deputies, plead guilty to misconduct
