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New York State Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Robert L. Megna today announced that a former Town of North Hempstead plans examiner was sentenced to 90 days in jail, five years' probation and has been ordered to pay $27,828 in restitution and a $5,000 criminal fine on his previous plea of guilty to six felony counts.
Andrew Acierno, 43, of Westbury, NY served as a plans examiner for the Town of North Hempstead from 2004 through 2006. After a 16-month probe into allegations of corruption within the town's Building Department, Acierno was charged with and pled guilty to committing a felony count of Scheme to Defraud, two felony counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing and three felony counts of Filing a False Tax Return. Acierno engaged in unreported draftsman work on homes within the Town of North Hempstead while simultaneously collecting a salary as a government employee, hiding his activities by falsifying records submitted to the Building Department and his personal income tax returns.
Acierno pled guilty to the felony charges on October 17, 2007, and was sentenced in Nassau Supreme Court on January 22, 2008. Acierno's restitution of $27,828 includes the taxes he failed to report and pay in addition to interest and penalties.
Commissioner Megna said, "This case is notable as it pertains to a former government official who abused his position of trust and authority for personal profit. The Department of Taxation and Finance is committed to administering a tax system that is fair and unbiased, and this case demonstrates that nobody is above the law, and tax crimes carry serious penalties."
The Department extends its thanks to Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice for her continued dedication to prosecuting tax crimes.
Additional information pertaining to Acierno's arrest and plea may be found on the Nassau County DA's website at: http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/DA/NewsReleases/2007/10-17-07.html and http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/DA/NewsReleases/2008/01-22-08.html
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Last Modified: January 28, 2008
