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Ex-Rikers Island Chief Indicted
Anthony Serra, formerly the second in command at the New York City Department of Corrections (DOC), has been indicted for felony grand larceny and 145 counts of misdemeanor violations of the Conflict of Interest Law. He faces up to 15 years in prison for the theft and a $5,000 fine for each misdemeanor count.
As reported in the August, 2003 PLN , Serra is accused of misusing DOC personnel and resources for political purposes. According to Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson, Serra, who was the supervisor of Rikers Island Jail, coerced wardens and captains to take days off and work on the campaigns of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Mayor Rudy Guiliani.
Serra also allegedly stole money from the campaign of New York Governor George Pataki. Serra allegedly first "volunteered" his jail employees to work as poll-watchers for Pataki, then falsely told the Friends of Pataki Committee that he paid them $100 each for the poll-watching, who then reimbursed him $200,000 for Primary Day (9-10-02) expenses. However, Serra allegedly kept $62,500 for himself that had been to reimburse the poll-watching payments.
Serra was arraigned on August 13, 2004. His attorney, Peter Driscoll, proclaimed his innocence.
"He is confident that at trial the real facts will come out," said Driscoll.
That may be so, but the real facts may not be so favorable to Serra. As previously reported in PLN , Serra also faces over 200 felony counts for allegedly forcing jail guards to work as construction workers and landscapers at his home in Mahopac, New York.
Sources: New York Post
As reported in the August, 2003 PLN , Serra is accused of misusing DOC personnel and resources for political purposes. According to Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson, Serra, who was the supervisor of Rikers Island Jail, coerced wardens and captains to take days off and work on the campaigns of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Mayor Rudy Guiliani.
Serra also allegedly stole money from the campaign of New York Governor George Pataki. Serra allegedly first "volunteered" his jail employees to work as poll-watchers for Pataki, then falsely told the Friends of Pataki Committee that he paid them $100 each for the poll-watching, who then reimbursed him $200,000 for Primary Day (9-10-02) expenses. However, Serra allegedly kept $62,500 for himself that had been to reimburse the poll-watching payments.
Serra was arraigned on August 13, 2004. His attorney, Peter Driscoll, proclaimed his innocence.
"He is confident that at trial the real facts will come out," said Driscoll.
That may be so, but the real facts may not be so favorable to Serra. As previously reported in PLN , Serra also faces over 200 felony counts for allegedly forcing jail guards to work as construction workers and landscapers at his home in Mahopac, New York.
Sources: New York Post
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