Fire Commissioners Arrested for Corruption

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Fire Commissioners, Other Suffolk Officials Arrested for Corruption

NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- The plundering of three volunteer fire departments and an ambulance company, in some cases for lavish personal spending sprees, has resulted in eight arrests, an eastern Long Island prosecutor said Tuesday.

The defendants, current or former members of their departments, were arraigned Tuesday on grand larceny and other charges; prosecutors said they pilfered thousands of dollars.

"These individuals are nothing other than thieves who use taxpayer monies for themselves and their families to party, to gamble, to travel and to buy items for their homes and offices,'' said Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota, who noted he spent 12 years as a volunteer firefighter. "In my view, their conduct is reprehensible.''

In one case, the former secretary-treasurer of the Montauk fire district was accused of stealing more than $500,000 over several years and prosecutors said they found evidence some of the money was spent at casinos in Las Vegas, New Orleans and Connecticut.

Other receipts were for lavish dinners at restaurants, hotels, women's retail and catalog clothing, beauty salons, appliance stores, and tickets to entertainment events, Spota said.

That official, Terri Gaines, 55, pleaded not guilty at her arraignment in East Hampton Town Court and was released on $10,000 bail. "We estimate the defendant wrote $112,000 worth of checks, drawn on the Montauk Fire District account, made payable to Terri Gaines and endorsed by Terri Gaines,'' Spota said.

Her attorney, James McElhone, said his client had been aware for some time that she was the target of an investigation, "but that number, half a million, took us by surprise,'' he said. He said Gaines often used her personal credit cards to make purchases and travel reservations for department members and then would write a department check to herself for reimbursement.

"We're looking forward to sitting down with the district attorney's office and going over these numbers,'' McElhone said.

Elsewhere, five current or former commissioners of the Selden Fire District were charged with one count of grand larceny and offering a false instrument for filing.

Spota said the five: Robert Santora, 65, James Spatafora, 46; John Emr, 69; Joseph Parente, 55 and Joseph Callari, 67, stole an estimated $52,600 in department funds.

The money was allegedly used for unauthorized meals and lodging for relatives on fire department travel junkets.

Their attorney, Raymond Perini, said his clients were innocent and noted that the department has since amended its accounting procedures.

"They've done a great job for Selden and it's a sorry day to see them in handcuffs,'' Perini said.

Also charged with grand larceny was the chairman of the carnival committee with the Terryville Fire District and the president of the East Moriches Community Ambulance.

There are 179 different volunteer firefighting and ambulance agencies across Long Island.

[RWC130 594]

ANOTHER Black Eye for the good

memebers in the Fire Service!

[firecapt32 282]

wouldnt you rather be reading about the guy from Brewster that helped save lives at the building collaspe.

ohh and dont think that this incident cant happen here in westchester.

Watch out where your funds go and whos spending taxpayers dollars