jar546
Forum Coordinator
Wow. Backdating a CofO and changing it from a 2 family to a single family really cost this BCO. So next time a politician asks you to do them a favor. Remember this.
NEW CITY - Former Spring Valley building inspector Walter Booker was sentenced this morning to five years probation on his conviction involving the issuance of a false certificate that aided a homeowner operating two childcare operations out of his house.
Booker, 57, also must perform 200 hours of community service as part of the sentence on his Feb. 1 conviction for falsifying building records, filing a false certificate and official misconduct.
County Court Judge Larry Schwartz, who found Booker guilty after a non-jury trial in mid-January, could have sentenced Booker to as much as four years in prison.
Schwartz noted this morning that there was no evidence of Booker benefiting financially from the crimes and the pre-sentence report designated Booker a low-risk to commit a crime in recommending a non-prison sentence.
Executive Assistant District Attorney Richard Kennison Moran urged Schwartz to impose a state prison sentence of one to three years for what Moran called "public corruption." Moran had no comment after sentencing.
Booker's lawyer, Michael Sussman, said they intend to appeal the conviction. He reiterated his contention that the evidence didn't support the conviction, and that nine of the 12 charges had been dismissed.
"I don't believe this is a case of public corruption," Sussman told Schwartz. "I don't believe he benefited."
In asking for leniency, Sussman told the judge that Booker had no criminal record and his wife has a serious medical condition. The couple have a young son.
Sussman said one of the reasons to appeal is Booker is now saddled with a felony conviction, making it difficult if not impossible for him to get work as a building inspector. Booker worked for 22 years for Spring Valley as an inspector, including years running the department.
Booker declined to speak before sentencing, but he said outside the County Courthouse in New City that he used his judgment to correct an erroneous certificate of occupancy issued by his deputy, Manny Carmona, changing the classification of Jacob Goldman's house to a single-family home, from a two family.
The two family designation allowed Goldman's family to operate two day care facilities at the house and get state funding.
Carmona had changed the designation while Booker fought suspension by the then mayor. Booker approved the two-family classification based on Goldman making changes to the house at 9 Zeissner Lane. In an unrelated event, Spring Valley has suspended Carmona.
After the trial, Schwartz found the evidence presented by Moran proved Booker backdated a certificate of occupancy that contained a false statement with an intent to defraud other governmental agencies. Booker had issued a certificate on May 22, 2012, but backdated it by almost eight months to Sept. 23, 2011..........................
https://www.lohud.com/story/news/lo...booker-sentencing-corruption-case/2128488001/
NEW CITY - Former Spring Valley building inspector Walter Booker was sentenced this morning to five years probation on his conviction involving the issuance of a false certificate that aided a homeowner operating two childcare operations out of his house.
Booker, 57, also must perform 200 hours of community service as part of the sentence on his Feb. 1 conviction for falsifying building records, filing a false certificate and official misconduct.
County Court Judge Larry Schwartz, who found Booker guilty after a non-jury trial in mid-January, could have sentenced Booker to as much as four years in prison.
Schwartz noted this morning that there was no evidence of Booker benefiting financially from the crimes and the pre-sentence report designated Booker a low-risk to commit a crime in recommending a non-prison sentence.
Executive Assistant District Attorney Richard Kennison Moran urged Schwartz to impose a state prison sentence of one to three years for what Moran called "public corruption." Moran had no comment after sentencing.
Booker's lawyer, Michael Sussman, said they intend to appeal the conviction. He reiterated his contention that the evidence didn't support the conviction, and that nine of the 12 charges had been dismissed.
"I don't believe this is a case of public corruption," Sussman told Schwartz. "I don't believe he benefited."
In asking for leniency, Sussman told the judge that Booker had no criminal record and his wife has a serious medical condition. The couple have a young son.
Sussman said one of the reasons to appeal is Booker is now saddled with a felony conviction, making it difficult if not impossible for him to get work as a building inspector. Booker worked for 22 years for Spring Valley as an inspector, including years running the department.
Booker declined to speak before sentencing, but he said outside the County Courthouse in New City that he used his judgment to correct an erroneous certificate of occupancy issued by his deputy, Manny Carmona, changing the classification of Jacob Goldman's house to a single-family home, from a two family.
The two family designation allowed Goldman's family to operate two day care facilities at the house and get state funding.
Carmona had changed the designation while Booker fought suspension by the then mayor. Booker approved the two-family classification based on Goldman making changes to the house at 9 Zeissner Lane. In an unrelated event, Spring Valley has suspended Carmona.
After the trial, Schwartz found the evidence presented by Moran proved Booker backdated a certificate of occupancy that contained a false statement with an intent to defraud other governmental agencies. Booker had issued a certificate on May 22, 2012, but backdated it by almost eight months to Sept. 23, 2011..........................
https://www.lohud.com/story/news/lo...booker-sentencing-corruption-case/2128488001/
