On May 9, 2025, at approximately 11:15 a.m., New York State Police at Oneonta, alongside SUNY University Police and the Oneonta Town Constable, responded to a violent incident at the Homer Folks Facility in Oneonta, NY. The response was initiated after a report of an assault was dispatched through the Otsego 911 Center.
According to the investigation, Pierce B. Tobin, 31, of Oneonta, became aggressive after a staff member informed him that smoking was not permitted on the premises. Tobin responded by punching the staff member in the face, causing visible bruising, and then escalated the attack by biting off a portion of the victim’s ear. The injured staff member was promptly treated at A.O. Fox Hospital for their injuries.
Law enforcement officers took Tobin into custody at the scene. He was subsequently arraigned at Otsego County Central Arraignment and remanded to the Otsego County Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash/credit or $10,000 bond. Tobin faces a charge of Assault in the Second Degree, a Class D felony.
Tobin’s next court appearance is scheduled for May 15, 2025. Authorities have stated that the investigation remains ongoing.
