Cayuga County sheriff says office provided traffic control during Cato factory search; Democratic legislators condemn federal tactics

Cayuga County Sheriff told the County Legislature that the county’s role in a federal search-warrant execution at a nutrition bar confectioners plant in Cato was limited to traffic control, on-site security and providing a command post, and that county personnel did not take part in searches or seizures.

The sheriff said federal agents contacted his office around July 30 about an ongoing criminal investigation and that the warrant at the Cato site was executed on Sept. 4. “Our role in that incident on the fourth was to provide traffic control for the highway there,” the sheriff said. “We did not provide any enforcement. We did not do any searching. We did not seize anything.” He also said federal partners reimbursed the county for overtime pay for the deputies who worked the detail.

The county statement followed widespread local media and social-media attention to the operation. A group of Democratic County legislators delivered a formal public statement on the county floor…