By Mary Malloy
Thomas McDonough, 48, of Port Washington, faces a four-count indictment alleging bribery, grand larceny and extortion. He is charged with having refused to inspect a drywall in a home unless the homeowner purchased tickets to a political fundraiser that he was selling, totaling $900.
After a 16-month probe into allegations of corruption in the North Hempstead Building Department, criminal charges were filed against all four men. The grand jury indictments also include charges of official misconduct, acceptance of unlawful gratuities and receiving of bribes.
The charges against McDonough includes felony counts of second-degree grand larceny and third-degree bribe receiving, as well as two misdemeanors, second-degree coercion and official misconduct.
McDonough, an assistant chief of the Port Washington Fire Department, faces a maximum of seven years in prison if convicted of the grand larceny charge. He was arrested on Tuesday by investigators from the district attorney's office, and was arraigned by Nassau County Judge David Sullivan, who set bail of $5,000 bond or $2,500 cash. He is due back in court Nov. 5.
"I was deeply disappointed upon learning [about] Thomas McDonough," Lynbrook Mayor Brian Curran said. "All of the pending criminal charges are associated with Mr. McDonough's full-time employment with the Town of North Hempstead's Building Department, and had nothing to do with his position with the Village of Lynbrook." In the wake of his arrest, Curran said, McDonough has resigned from the Lynbrook Building Department, effective immediately.
Curran said that there will be a complete overview of all pending housing cases within the week, at which time it will be determined whether any open investigations or pending violations will be reinspected or reissued.
Former North Hempstead Building Commissioner David Wasserman, former Deputy Commissioner John Madden and former Plans Examiner Andrew Acierno were also charged. Former plumbing inspector Joseph Lomonaco was indicted in August.
"An investigation of this size and scope into a building department is unprecedented, and the results are alarming," said Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice. "We look forward to holding these individuals accountable and to restoring the trust constituents have a right to have in their local governments." At a press conference on Tuesday, Rice angrily said that Wasserman and the others had turned the North Hempstead Building Department into their "own personal piggy banks."
Wasserman, 48, of Roslyn Heights, the head of the department from May 2000 to January 2006 and a town consultant after his departure. He faces a 29-count indictment.
Madden, 39, the deputy building commissioner from 1999 to March 2006, is charged with accepting cash bribes totaling more than $10,000 in exchange for inspection certifications and building plan approval.
Acierno, 53, of Westbury, a plans examiner from 2004 to 2006, is charged with conflict-of-interest violations, filing false financial disclosure documents, illegally drafting architectural plans and failing to report income to the state and the town. Lomonaco, 56, of New Hyde Park, a former plumbing inspector and supervisor of Maccarone Plumbing in Glen Cove, was indicted in August on charges of failing to disclose outside income, and filing a permit application years after he completed work on his own home.
Trustee David Penso, the village's liaison to the Building Department, said that the allegations against McDonough will be discussed at the board's next executive session, since it is a personnel issue. "It's too soon to know what actions we will be taking," Penso said.
According to the newly appointed superintendent of the Lynbrook Building Department, Richard Barbieri, the indictments will not create a hardship for the department, because he can call on two other inspectors. On the department's Web site, the newest housing inspectors - along with McDonough, whose name is still listed - are described as "very experienced and highly ethical."
Neither McDonough nor his attorney, Michael Rosen, could be reached for comment.
Comments about this story? MMalloy@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 202.
