Two state employees charged with using state credit cards in theft of gasoline

Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota and New York State Inspector General Kristine Hamann Tuesday announced the arrest of three individuals, including two state employees, on charges they stole some $19,000 to $20,000 in gasoline through the unauthorized use of credit cards issued to a New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities facilities in Dix Hills, New York.

Sean Marshall, 23, and Omar Hanley, 22, both OMRDD Developmental Aides, and Taiwana Knight, 31, who detectives identified as Marshall's girlfriend, are charged with fourth-degree grand larceny and were issued desk appearance tickets for first district court in Central Islip. All three defendants reside in Wyandanch. Fourth-degree grand larceny is a class "E" felony punishable by a maximum prison term of one and one-third to four years in prison.

The arrests culminate a nine-month investigation that began when OMRDD reported to the State Inspector General's Office that an OMRDD audit had identified a number of questionable gasoline purchases, beginning in July 2006, made with New York State government vehicle credit cards issued to community residential facilities operated by OMRDD in Dix Hills. The facilities house individuals diagnosed as developmentally disabled and mentally retarded, and are administered by OMRDD's regional office in Commack.

OMRDD's facilities operate several state vehicles to transport residents to day programs and for other facility-related purposes. Each vehicle is assigned a state-issued credit card for authorized gasoline and maintenance purchases. When using the cards, OMRDD employees must enter a personal identification number that allows the transaction to proceed and identifies them as the employee making the purchase.

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