September 19, 2006

Gluckin Sentenced to Prison

Defendant, still paying restitution, is sentenced to 3-9 years

MINEOLA, NY - Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced this morning that Pamela Gluckin, 60, the former Assistant Superintendent of the school district, has received a sentence of three-to-nine years in prison from the Honorable Alan L. Honorof in Nassau County Court.

In November 2005, Ms. Gluckin pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree. She faced a maximum of 15 years in prison.

“This case represents the most egregious betrayal of the public trust anyone could ever imagine,” said District Attorney Rice. “We in law enforcement must do more to protect both taxpayer money, and taxpayer confidence in their public servants. If there were ever a case that highlighted the need for more transparency, more accountability, it is this one.”

Frank Tassone, 59, who was scheduled to be sentenced along with Ms. Gluckin, had his court date adjourned until October 4, citing a emergency health condition that landed him in a Nassau County hospital early Tuesday morning.

In September 2005, Mr. Tassone pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the First and Second Degrees. He faces a maximum of 25 years in prison.

Mr. Tassone and Ms. Gluckin are among six defendants charged in connection with the theft of more than $8 million dollars from the Roslyn School District. The investigation dates back to February of 2004 and continues to this day.

Of the $2,208,361 Mr. Tassone has admitted stealing, he has paid $1,918,028.40 back to the school district. The balance of the restitution will be paid upon receipt of the defendant’s bail money, an expected loan on a relative’s house, and a soon-to-be-closed stock sale worth more than $40,000.

Ms. Gluckin has admitted to stealing $4,358,743, of which she has repaid $1,976,843.22 to the school district. In addition, she is in possession of artwork and jewelry valued at approximately $60,000 that will be the subject of forfeiture action by the District Attorney’s Office and eventually returned to the school district. Ms. Gluckin’s bail amount, $24,250, will also be given to the school district. In an attempt to pay full restitution, Ms. Gluckin has also agreed to give half of her school district pension, $21,924 per year, to the school district during her stay in state prison.

Yet to be sentenced for her role in the heist is Ms. Gluckin’s niece, Debra Rigano. Ms. Rigano, the account clerk for the school district, admitted to stealing $852,231 and pleaded guilty in November of last year to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree. She faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison at her September 26 sentencing.

Stephen Signorelli, a principal of WordPower, a Roslyn School District vendor, pleaded guilty January 18 to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree. District Attorney Rice, in holding Mr. Signorelli to the top indicted count and requiring full restitution in the amount of $219,000, recommended an upstate prison sentence of one-to-three years. On March 16 of this year, the Honorable Alan L. Honor of sentenced Mr. Signorelli to one-to-three years in prison and full restitution for his role in the heist.

Andrew Miller, a former partner at the accounting firm Miller, Lilly & Pearce, LLP, and the Roslyn School District’s auditor, pleaded guilty in November of last year to Tampering with Public Records in the First Degree. Despite District Attorney Kathleen Rice’s recommendation of two-to-six years in prison, he was sentenced in January to four months in jail and five years of probation.

John McCormick, son of Pamela Gluckin, was charged with Grand Larceny in the Second Degree and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree. Mr. McCormick pleaded guilty to both charges in March and in June received five years of probation, 100 hours of community service, and an order to pay full restitution in the amount of $83,982.54. In addition, Mr. McCormick agreed to pay $104,958.56 in forfeiture, which represents stolen money and items given to him by his mother, and has been credited against Ms. Gluckin’s restitution order.

Handling the cases for the District Attorney’s Office has been Assistant District Attorney Peter Mancuso, of the District Attorney’s Public Corruption Bureau. Mr. Tassone is being represented by Ed Jenks, Esq., of Garden City. Representing Ms. Gluckin is Victor Mevorah, of Garden City. Ms. Rigano is being represented by Carmello Garufi, also of Garden City.