CLAY, N.Y. -- A sheriff's deputy who works in the county jail is accused of stealing drugs on two occasions, the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office said.

John Giocondo, 50, of Liverpool, was charged with official misconduct, two counts of petit larceny and two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

The sheriff's office said Giocondo was charged Tuesday afternoon after the completion of an "internally initiated administrative investigation into the theft of narcotics."

The investigation was done by detectives in the sheriff's office.

Giocondo is accused of stealing narcotics while he was working and while off-duty. The sheriff's office did not provide details, but said the thefts consisted of two separate incidents which occurred in the Onondaga County jail and Clay.

Sgt. Jon Seeber, a sheriff's office spokesman, declined to comment on what kind of narcotics were stolen.

Giocondo has worked as a deputy in the Custody Department for 26 years. He has been suspended without pay.

In 1994 Giocondo admitted that he acted unprofessionally during an incident with a jail inmate, according to a newspaper article. When an inmate tossed his soup and tea on Giocondo, the deputy filled a bucket with cold water. He then dumped the water on the inmate and spit on him, according to the article. Giocondo received verbal counseling.

Giocondo was arraigned in Clay Town Court and released on his own recognizance by Judge Brian Lauri. He was issued an appearance ticket for the Syracuse-based charges. He is set to appear in Syracuse City Criminal Court Thursday.

A mug shot of Giocondo was not immediately available Tuesday night.