October 16, 2006

Former Garden City Park Official Arrested

DA Rice: Sweeney charged with theft, defrauding government, official misconduct

MINEOLA, NY - Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced this morning that John Sweeney, 54, the former Superintendent of the Garden City Park Water & Fire District, has been charged with Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, Defrauding the Government, and Official Misconduct in connection with the theft of more than $20,000 from the district during his tenure as superintendent.

Mr. Sweeney was arrested this morning and will be arraigned later today in First District Court, Hempstead. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum of seven years in prison.

Mr. Sweeney, who retired from the district in May of this year, is accused of stealing approximately $20,000.00 worth of goods and services from the District over the course of at least ten years. During this time, the defendant allegedly made hundreds of unauthorized purchases for personal items and charged them to District-owned accounts. These purchases include a ride-in lawn mower/tractor, parts and equipment for his personal vessel, a dishwasher, a treadmill, a tool set, a digital camera, an LCD monitor and other electronic equipment. In 1996 alone, Mr. Sweeney purchased a $3,480 sign-cutting machine which he later used for his own personal sign business.

In addition, throughout his tenure as superintendent, Mr. Sweeney allegedly assigned several of his subordinates to perform personal tasks for him during regular business hours. The tasks include removing furniture from his private residence by the use of a district-owned vehicle, assembling and disassembling tables and other equipment used for his private sign business, cutting and preparing signs for his private sign business on district premises using district-owned equipment and materials, driving his District-owned vehicle to and from his summer house in Jamesport, making deposits into his personal bank accounts, servicing his personal pick-up truck and boat, and making repairs to his personal computer.

Mr. Sweeney currently resides in Wando, South Carolina, where he continues to receive a severance package form the district.

Assistant District Attorney Robert Cavallo, of the Public Corruption Bureau, is handling the case for the District Attorney. Mr. Sweeney is being represented by Vincent Nicolosi, Esq.

The charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.