District Attorney Hoovler Announces Tommy Watson to be New Chief Investigator 

Outgoing Chief Investigator Rudolph Simmons, as well as Investigators John Chivattoni and Gary Cooper to Retire

OCDA Welcoming Three New Experienced Criminal Investigators as Well as ADA with 25 Years Experience Who Was Long Time Judge

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced on Friday, December 15, 2023, that he will be appointing Tommy Watson to be the Chief Criminal Investigator of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office on February 2, 2024.  The current Chief Investigator, Rudolph Simmons, is retiring after a storied career in law enforcement. Upon his appointment, Mr. Watson will be the tenth Chief Criminal Investigator appointed to lead the Criminal Investigators who work in the District Attorney’s Office.

Also joining the District Attorney’s Office are three experienced criminal investigators: Brian Hammer, Paul Langowsky and Christopher Fox.  District Attorney Hoovler is pleased to announce the promotions of Brett Weeden to Deputy Chief Investigator and Francis Pierri and Thomas Reinle to Senior Criminal Investigators.  Deputy Chief Weeden was most recently assigned to lead the Office’s Digital Forensic Unit (“DFU”) and in his new role will help oversee the operations of the Criminal Investigators Unit.  Senior Investigator Pierri will be assigned to lead the Criminal Investigators in the Newburgh Office.  Senior Investigator Reinle will be assigned to lead the DFU.

Mr. Watson became a Senior Criminal Investigator in the Orange County District Attorney’s Office assigned to the Orange County Drug Task Force in 2015. Prior to that he was a Criminal Investigator with the Sullivan County District Attorney’s Office, a Town of Goshen Police Officer and a long time Senior Investigator with the New York State Police. Mr. Watson became a member of the New York State Police in 1986.  His assignments with the New York State Police included being assigned to the Community Narcotics Enforcement Team, (“CNET”), where he was the Member in Charge and supervised over twenty law enforcement officers.

Mr. Hammer is a retired New York State Police Senior Investigator who supervised complex investigations, including homicides.  Mr. Hammer was a long time Polygraphist who conducted thousands of polygraph examinations during his career.  Later he supervised the work of other Polygraphists in the New York State Police.  He became a Trooper in 1990 and worked continuously for the New York State Police until his retirement.

Mr. Langowsky is also a retired New York State Police Senior Investigator whose work included the investigation of over two hundred homicides and other serious crimes in Orange County and surrounding counties.  As a Senior Investigator in the Forensic Identification Unit he managed a team of Investigators in the Crime Scene Unit, Collision Reconstruction Unit and Evidence Custodians.  He became a Trooper in 1995 and worked continuously for the New York State Police until his retirement.

Mr. Fox is also a retired New York State Police Senior Investigator whose work included long-term and complex investigations into narcotics sales and trafficking and violent gangs.  Mr. Fox participated in physical and electronic surveillance which included judicially-authorized wiretaps.  His assignments included CNET as well as appointments to a joint task force with the ATF, and as an investigator with the Queens District Attorney’s Office.  Mr. Fox became a Trooper in 1999.

District Attorney Office Criminal Investigators are police officers who work to enhance cases for litigation and investigate crimes, sometimes independently, and sometime in conjunction with other police agencies.  They frequently respond and assist at homicide investigations and assist other law enforcement agencies with a diverse range of criminal investigations.   

District Attorney Hoovler is also pleased to announce the hiring of ADA Cynthia Dolan.  Ms. Dolan is an attorney with over twenty-five years of experience who has argued hundreds of motions and appeals in federal and state courts.  In addition to her appellate work in private practice, Ms. Dolan was the presiding Town Justice in the Town of Mamakating in Sullivan County from 2014-2022.  In that role, she was designated as an Accessible Magistrate who was permitted to handle cases involving Adolescent Offenders under New York State Raise the Age legislation.  Ms. Dolan will be working in the Office’s Appeals Bureau.

“I am thrilled about the incredibly talented individuals who are coming aboard, under the leadership of Tommy Watson, who I know will be an outstanding Chief Criminal Investigator,” said District Attorney Hoovler.  “Tommy is respected across the board by his colleagues in law enforcement as well as the members of the District Attorney’s Office.  While I am sad to see Rudy, John and Gary go, as their experience and professionalism were a significant asset to the office, they deserve their retirement after their long and storied careers in law enforcement.  I am also delighted to welcome Cynthia Dolan, whose work I respect and who will be an important member of our Appeals Bureau.  These additions and promotions are part of a long-term plan to fortify the Office with the best possible candidates to serve the members of our community with fair and impartial justice.  I look forward to adding to our ranks in the coming year with five new ADAs and three new Investigators.”