NORWICH – Chenango County Undersheriff Ernie Cutting issued a statement on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office this morning regarding news articles yesterday about Sheriff Thomas Loughren’s future plans.

Reporters are asked to wait until Loughren returns to Chenango County the week of May 23 “to discuss the facts and not rumors” regarding his plans to retire and seek new employment.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs, confirmed yesterday that Loughren had accepted a new position as police chief of the Miccosukee Police Department on Monday. Loughren previously worked for the Miccosukee Police Department/ U.S. Bureau of the Interior in Miami, Fla. from 1983 to 1989.