Oneida County, NYPublished •Verified 2026-11-10
Oneida County's Next Undersheriff: Pearl Picks Retired Trooper Scott Nell of Vernon
Why it matters here
The undersheriff is second in command at the Oneida County Sheriff's Office, which patrols the towns without their own police and runs the county jail, so this is the first look at who will lead it alongside Pearl.
Sheriff-elect Jared Pearl announced Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, that retired State Police Sergeant Scott A. Nell will be Oneida County's undersheriff when Pearl takes office Jan. 1, 2027, per Pearl's announcement in the Utica Phoenix. Pearl called it the first of several leadership appointments.
Who Nell is:
- 32 years with the New York State Police, retiring in 2020 from Troops D and T; worked up from trooper to sergeant, station commander and zone sergeant.
- Served on the State Police mobile response, sniper and mobile field teams.
- Chief of the Vernon Volunteer Fire Company since 1996, and a member for 41 years.
- Nearly 30 years in the U.S. Army Reserve, retiring as a sergeant first class in 2016.
- Lifelong Vernon resident.
Pearl said he wanted experienced leadership in place from his first day. Pearl beat incumbent Robert Maciol in the Nov. 3 election.
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