d&c 120508 - robutrad
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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.
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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