ALBANY – Two safety and security officers for the State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities were arrested on charges they stole close to $13,000 from the state by purportedly responding on overtime for fire alarms at facilities when no alarms had occurred. They are also charged for responding to fire calls with their community volunteer fire department without taking time off from their state job, as well as other schemes.
Jason Dean, 30, from Wassaic, was charged with 41 counts of offering a false instrument for filing and one count of grand larceny, all as felonies. He is accused of stealing $5,022 for hours he charges the state as if he was working but actually was not.
Mark Christiansen, 52, of Dover Plains, was charged with 40 counts of offering a false instrument for filing and one count of grand larceny. He is accused of stealing $7,855.70 for hours he charged the state as if he was working but actually was not.
“These two defendants used their positions as government employees and as community volunteers to repeatedly over two years engage in criminal schemes from taxpayers and violating the public trust,” said Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott.
Dean and Christiansen were arraigned and released pending a future court appearance.
