Charges against Dayton Highway Superintendent Brian J. Taber were recently dropped in Cattaraugus County Court after a jury found him not guilty of stealing municipal gas.
Taber, 37, of South Dayton, was originally charged with falsifying records, official misconduct and petit larceny following an investigation by the county sheriff's office and state police alleging he had stolen gas from the town highway barn on at least four separate occasions from July 2008-July 2009 and altered the records.
Taber's attorney, James Musacchio, said Taber did not use the gas illegally on the cited occasions and had attended out-of-county meetings as part of his work with the town.
The jury found Taber not guilty of the misconduct and petit larceny charges. Judge Larry M. Himelein dismissed the charge of falsifying business records.
Taber continued serving as highway superintendent through the court proceedings and maintains his position.
