In a letter to the media, Elmira Police Department Chief Kristen Thorne announced the arrest of one of the officers in his department.

According to Chief Thorne, on July 18th of this year he was advised that an Elmira Police officer allegedly provided confidential information to someone which not only jeopardized an active investigation but also placed individuals involved in that investigation at risk.

Thorne says that the officer was immdiately suspended, which including revoking all access to the department buildings, files and information systems. At that time the department requested the assistance of the New York State Police Department due to the seriousness of the allegations. The New York State Police conducted a criminal investigation.

Photo courtesy of EPD Facebook page

As a result, 26 year old Shyonna Pacheco was charged with Hindering Prosecution 2nd Degree, a Class E Felony; two counts of Official Misconduct, Class A Misdemeanors; and two counts of Obstruction of Governmental Administration 2nd Degree, Class A Misdemeanors. She was arraigned in the City of Elmira Court and released on her own recognizance pending future proceedings.Pacheco joined the Elmira Police Department in 2023.

Thorne says that the internal investigation remains ongoing, and that Officer Pacheco continues to be suspended while the Elmira Police Department has initiated the termination process.

"The Elmira Police Department will not tolerate official misconduct among its Officers," Thorne wrote. "This behavior does not reflect the values of our department, brings discredit to the agency and interferes with our ability to fulfill our duties to the community effectively."

According to the New York State Police, the Schuyler County District Attorney is assigned as the special prosecutor.

Chief Thorne added that the department will not be releasing any further information at this time.

It appears the suspended officer didn’t join the force to protect and serve but to be in the know and inform.

She'll have her day in court and be found innocent or guilty.

What's more disturbing to me right now, more than anything, is the sense moral equivalancy in this community as it pertains to this or just about any other case around here.

5 hours ago, Chris said:

She'll have her day in court and be found innocent or guilty.

What's more disturbing to me right now, more than anything, is the sense moral equivalancy in this community as it pertains to this or just about any other case around here.

was reading the dirty laundry thread on this....i dont know her or the details, but people in this area just suck, this area/society is in serious need of fumigation

12 hours ago, ADAM said:

was reading the dirty laundry thread on this....i dont know her or the details, but people in this area just suck, this area/society is in serious need of fumigation

Definitely! And I have some suggestions as to where to start … but kept to myself for another day .

According to the Schuyler County District Attorney's Office, twenty-six year old Shyonna Pacheco of Breesport pleaded guilty in Elmira City Court on March 31, 2026, to Attempted Hindering Prosecution in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor.

Pacheco was arrested on October 15, 2025, by the New York State Police for Hindering Prosecution, Obstruction of Governmental Administration, and Official Misconduct arising out of her misconduct as a City of Elmira Police Officer.

Pacheco admitted to Hon. Peter Finnerty that she attempted to provide criminal assistance to an individual who was a target of a class B felony drug investigation by obtaining confidential information in her capacity as a police officer and giving it to a relative with ties to the target of the drug investigation. The relative then provided the confidential information to the target, which compromised the investigation and any prosecutions that may have arisen therefrom.

As part of the plea agreement, Pacheco was required to resign her position as a police officer with the Elmira Police Department, which she did immediately prior to her case being called by the court. She provided Elmira Police Chief Kristen Thorne her letter of resignation in the Elmira City Court courtroom.

The New York State Police investigated this case and uncovered other instances of misconduct on Pacheco’s part regarding confidential information, but these matters were not prosecuted per the plea agreement. The Schuyler County District Attorney’s Office was assigned to prosecute this matter due to a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict interest in the Chemung County District Attorney’s Office.

Pacheco is scheduled to be sentenced on June 30, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Judge Finnerty ordered the Chemung County Probation Department to conduct a pre-sentence investigation and prepare a report for the court prior to sentencing.

I don't know this person, so I can't make a judgment about her personality or what kind of person she is.

What I'll say is this: There's a lot of people that are defending her on social media, saying she is innocent or set up. If that were the case, then why did she plead "guilty"? Why admit to the judge you did it? If she were truly innocent, she would be fighting those charges.

5 hours ago, Chris said:

I don't know this person, so I can't make a judgment about her personality or what kind of person she is.

What I'll say is this: There's a lot of people that are defending her on social media, saying she is innocent or set up. If that were the case, then why did she plead "guilty"? Why admit to the judge you did it? If she were truly innocent, she would be fighting those charges.

I thought the same thing. I went down the social media rabbit hole when she was first arrested and almost everyone jumping to her defense "appeared" to be related in some way or another.

I could never understand the guilty plea either but they she probably couldn't afford a real lawyer and the assigned one just wanted it over and one with and talked her into it to avoid a lengthy trial that she might not win. My guess is that she did something wrong.

I would agree she is a very liked person and by the reviews she does a lot in our community especially with children. Seems as if she made a mistake and she has to handle the consequences.

6 minutes ago, Annie89 said:

I would agree she is a very liked person and by the reviews she does a lot in our community especially with children. Seems as if she made a mistake and she has to handle the consequences.

Yeah it kinda sucks doesn’t it? Imagine what more she could have done for the good of the community.

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (WETM) – A former Elmira police officer was sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to leaking confidential information in an investigation, the Schuyler County DA’s Office reports.

According to the office of the Schuyler County District Attorney, Shyonna Pacheco, 26, of Breesport, NY, a former member of the Elmira Police Department, was sentenced to three years of probation after Pacheco leaked confidential information that was part of an ongoing drug investigation. Pacheco pleaded guilty to attempted hindering prosecution in the second degree, a class A misdemeanor.

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