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    Report Information from ProQuestSeptember 12 2011 13:50

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    Document 1 of 115 charged with taking fundsVargas, Claudia; Freile, Victoria E. Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [Rochester, N.Y] 05 Dec

    2008: .1._______________________________________________________________Find a copy_______________________________________________________________AbstractAccording to City Court documents, the amount of the individual wages allegedly stolen ranged from

    about $1,600 to more than $13,100.

    _______________________________________________________________Full TextClaudia Vargas and Victoria E. Freile

    Staff writers

    Following a six-month investigation, Monroe County has filed criminal and civil charges

    against a county worker and 14 others for allegedly stealing more than $100,000 from county

    funds.

    Monroe County officials announced Thursday the arrest of county employee Robert Morone,

    52, of Gates, and 14 building trades workers, who are accused of falsifying time cards and

    billing records for time they either did not work at all or for personal work not related to their

    contract with the county.

    One of the 14 workers is Christopher Gorman, 52, of Webster who ran as a Democrat for

    County Legislature in the 8th District in 2004 and 2005 but lost to Republican Dave Malta in

    both races. In the 2004 voter's guide, Gorman was listed as being the business agent for

    Painters Union, Local 150. Gorman declined to comment Thursday.

    Since the mid-1990s, Morone has been the county's supervisor of the Robutrad Corp., a

    private engineering corporation made up of union workers.

    The Robutrad Corp. has been contracted for more than a decade by the county's Department

    of Environmental Services to complete work on county facilities.

    The accused individuals, who included carpenters, painters, plumbers, masons, and iron

    workers hired through Robutrad, were arrested Wednesday at the close of business.

    "I am outraged at these individuals, who have violated the public's trust by stealing from the

    taxpayers of our community," said County Executive Maggie Brooks.

    "I don't care who you are or how well you do your job. This abhorrent behavior is completely

    unacceptable and will not be tolerated."Morone was fired from his post and the involved building trades workers will no longer be

    permitted to work on any county projects, Brooks said. She added that the scope and amount

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    of the theft may end up being larger than it is now as the investigation continues.

    Monroe County District Attorney Mike Green said the 15 people currently charged are

    accused of submitting falsified time cards and billing statements.

    Those 15 men allegedly received payments for time that they did not work, as well as for time

    they worked on private projects, which included personal work on properties owned by some

    of the involved men.

    Fourteen of the people, including Morone, were charged with third-degree grand larceny,

    which means each person is accused of taking more than $3,000 in wages, and one person

    was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny and is accused of taking more than $1,000 in

    wages.

    According to City Court documents, the amount of the individual wages allegedly stolen

    ranged from about $1,600 to more than $13,100.

    "These were people that we knew since the mid-'90s, they were our co-workers ... it's

    devastating from a moral perspective," Brooks said.County officials and sheriff's deputies are not certain how long the scheme had been going

    on or how many people were involved, adding that more people could be charged as the

    investigation continues. The current grand larceny charges stem from offenses committed

    between June 1and Oct. 31, 2008, according to court documents.

    "It is clear they were working together ... in an attempt to defraud the county," Brooks said.

    In the county's civil lawsuit filed Thursday against all 15 men, the county demands restitution

    for compensatory damages, punitive damages, exemplary damages and attorney fees.

    The men pleaded not guilty Thursday morning in City Court to the grand larceny charges andwere released on their own recognizance.

    Assistant District Attorney William Gargan said the investigation would continue and there

    would likely be discussions with some of the accused to see whether they might cooperate.

    Sheriff Patrick O'Flynn said deputies carried out its investigation in conjunction with the

    District Attorney's Office. Green said the case is expected to be presented to a Monroe

    County grand jury and added that this is just the beginning.

    [email protected]

    [email protected]

    Includes reporting by staff writer Gary Craig

    The accused

    A list of the 15 men accused of stealing more than $100,000 in wages from Monroe County

    *Charged with third-degree grand larceny: Robert Morone, 52, of Gates; Simeon

    Roumpapas, 47, of Webster; David Gerken, 48, of Palmyra, Wayne County; Nick Fridrik, 29,

    of Webster; Jamie Speares, 42, of Greece; Raymond Arnold, 47, of Parma; Frank Costanza,

    62, of Conesus, Livingston County; Robert D'Alessandro, 41, of Greece; Filippo Amati, 39, of

    East Rochester; Mike Lyons, 52, of Hamlin; Christopher Gorman, 52, of Webster; Mark

    Reynolds, 51, Williamson, Wayne County; Robert Palazzo, 47, of Greece; Frank Insalaco,

    42, of Chili.

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    *Charged with fourth-degree grand larceny: Joel Horowitz, 61, of Hilton.

    _______________________________________________________________Indexing (details)

    Subjects Workers, County executives

    Title 15 charged with taking funds

    Authors Vargas, Claudia; Freile, Victoria E

    Publication title Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

    Pages A.1

    Publication year 2008

    Publication Date Dec 5, 2008

    Year 2008

    Section National

    Publisher Gannett Co., Inc.

    Place of Publication Rochester, N.Y.

    Country of publication United States

    Source type Newspapers

    Language of Publication English

    Document type News

    Subfile Workers, County executives

    ProQuest Document ID 442080095

    Document URL http://ezproxy.drake.brockport.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.proqu

    est.com/docview/442080095?accountid=26985

    Copyright Copyright 2008 - Rochester Democrat and Chronicle NY - All Rights

    Reverved

    Last updated 2010-06-30

    Database Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

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