KIAMESHA LAKE – The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office has arrested two men in connection with an armed home invasion robbery.

On Monday, November 29, at approximately 9:20 a.m., Sullivan County 911 received a report of an assault that had just occurred on the grounds of the Hebrew Day School in Lake Kiamesha. Units from the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, Fallsburg and Monticello police departments converged on the scene where they learned that when the school’s caretaker returned to his residence, he was attacked by a subject who came out of his bedroom wearing a ski mask and armed with a pistol. The suspect struck the victim in the head and fled with several thousand dollars in cash.

The suspect was chased on foot, down Gibbers Road, by one of the school administrators who got a partial license plate and description of a getaway vehicle. Deputies conducted a search of the area and learned that the getaway vehicle struck a tree stump while fleeing the scene on a back road. Using a special computer search, deputies matched up the car parts left at the scene with the partial license plate reported by the witness.

The investigation led them to a trailer park on Route 55 in Grahamsville. Over the next week, sheriff’s detectives cast a wide net, conducting numerous interviews, reviewing local video surveillance and executing several search warrants.

On Monday, December 6,  sheriff’s deputies arrested Clifford D. Gildersleeve, 58, of Grahamsville. He was charged with the felonies of Burglary 1^st degree, Robbery 2^nd degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2^nd degree, Grand Larceny 3^rd Degree and the misdemeanor of Menacing 2^nd degree. Gildersleeve was arraigned before Town of Thompson Judge Sharon Jankiewicz and sent to the Sullivan County Jail without bail. The alleged getaway driver, Robert A. Guadagno, 49, of Grahamsville was also arrested that day and charged with Burglary 1^st degree. Guadagno was arraigned before Thompson Town Justice Martin Miller and also remanded to the Sullivan County Jail without bail.

Sheriff Mike Schiff commended his staff, especially deputy sheriff John Panos who took the lead in this investigation. “Our deputy sheriffs are dedicated to getting violent criminals off of our streets and out of our neighborhoods”, said the sheriff. “We will be working closely with district attorney Meagan Galligan to make sure these two individuals are held accountable."

In addition to the responding police agencies, the sheriff’s office was assisted by state police BCI and Fallsburg detectives. The search warrants were prepared by assistant district attorney Steven Goldberg.

All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.