After first being elected in 1998 at the age of 29 as Schuyler County District Attorney, Joe Fazzary has decided to not seek re-election at the end of the year.
Fazzary confirmed with Finger Lakes Daily News that he announced he will be retiring at the end of 2025 at Monday’s Schuyler County Public Safety Committee meeting.
Fazzary started in the District Attorney’s Office in 1992. He is a lifelong resident of Schuyler County where he resides with his wife Susan and their children, Isabella and Georgio. He is a graduate of Syracuse University and the Syracuse University College of Law.
“It has truly been an honor and privilege for me to serve the residents of Schuyler and many of the surrounding counties, as well as the People of the State of New York for all these years,” said Fazzary. “I would also like to thank the multiple police agencies that I have worked with for so long. The Southern Tier is extremely fortunate to have the law enforcement professionals it has. They are all well trained and work hand in hand to make our region a safe place to live.
“I have had three Chief Assistant District Attorneys who dedicated their careers to prosecution and seeking justice. Two of them went on to become superior court judges and one stands by my side every day, protecting the citizens of Schuyler County. On a special note, I would not have been nearly as effective had it not been for my paralegal, Robin Craver, who has been with me for all 28 years. I would also like to thank the multiple police agencies that I have worked with for so long. The Southern Tier is extremely fortunate to have the law enforcement professionals it has. They are all well trained and work hand in hand to make our region a safe place to live
He has tried numerous cases over his career, including homicides, sexual assaults, burglaries, arson, and larcenies. He has been assigned by Broome, Chemung, Ontario, Seneca, Steuben, Tompkins, and Yates counties as a special prosecutor on many occasions throughout his career. Fazzary writes and argues appeals in the appellate courts of New York State. He sits on the Board of Directors of the Southern Tier Law Enforcement Academy and is a former adjunct professor at Elmira College.
Fazzary regularly lectures for the New York State Prosecutors Training Institute on subjects such as ethics, direct and cross-examination, and appeals. He is also active in his community, having coached boys’ and girls’ basketball and little league baseball for many years. He served on the Schuyler County Little League Board of Directors for six years. He also regularly makes presentations to local schools on subjects such as violence in relationships, sexting, bullying, and drug use.
Fazzary is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, which led him to create the Justice Center of the Southern Tier. Funded by the New York State Office of Victim Services, the Justice Center provides comprehensive and integrated services for any victim or survivor of crime and their families. Located in Montour Falls, the center offers counseling, case management, civil legal assistance, and help with OVS compensation claims, among other services.
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