April 3, 2008

Former Town Official Sentenced

 After pleading guilty to applying for permit after renovations, judge
gives Lomonaco probation & community service, orders restitution

MINEOLA, NY – Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced Thursday afternoon that former Town of North Hempstead plumbing inspector Joseph Lomonaco, 56, of New Hyde Park, has been sentenced to probation and 200 hours of community service after pleading guilty in February to filing a proposal for a renovation permit on his home more than a year after the work was completed.

Nassau County Court Judge Alan Honorof also ordered Mr. Lomonaco to pay $6,324 in permitting fees and penalties to the Town of North Hempstead, and an additional $1,064.72 in restitution to Nassau County.  Rice said that the restitution order represents the taxes the defendant would have been forced to pay had he filed the permit applications in accordance with the law and had his home been accurately assessed following the illegal renovations.

The judge ruled that Mr. Lomonaco’s term of probation will conclude upon his completion of the community service.

Mr. Lomonaco is the second of five defendants to plead guilty and be sentenced in connection with the District Attorney’s sweeping 2007 probe into allegations of bribery, corruption and official misconduct in the Town of North Hempstead Building Department. 

In October of last year, Andrew Acierno, 43, of Westbury, a former plans examiner within the building department, pleaded guilty to falsifying town financial disclosure forms, filing bogus architectural permit applications, and evading personal income tax.  Mr. Acierno was sentenced to 90 days in jail and five years of probation.  He was also ordered to pay $27,828 in restitution to New York State, as well as a $5,000 fine. 

Active cases remain against former building commissioner David Wasserman, former deputy commissioner John Madden, and suspended building inspector Thomas McDonough.