Former Elmira Correction Officer Pleads Guilty to Forging Paperwork Falsely Claiming Military Service So He Could Take Time Off

New York State Inspector General Letizia Tagliafierro today announced the plea of a former New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) officer who took time off by falsely claiming he was attending military drills to steal more than $3,300 in unearned wages.

Kyle Bouille, 27, of Corning, pled guilty today in Elmira City Court before Judge Ottavio Campanella to Petit Larceny and Attempted Fraudulent Practices under the Workers’ Compensation Law (misdemeanors). Bouille was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge, a fine of $50 and will pay restitution in the amount of $3,322.

Bouille had been a correction officer at the Elmira DOCCS facility since 2016. He also served as a member of the United States Marine Reserves, completing his service in July 2017. Bouille sustained an injury at DOCCS in January 2019, leaving him unable to work and eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.

The investigation showed that Bouille altered a doctor’s note by changing his “return to work” date from January 18, 2019, to January 23, 2019. DOCCS employees noticed discrepancies in Bouille’s leave submissions and referred the matter to the Inspector General for investigation.

The Inspector General’s investigation into Bouille’s leave also showed that, upon completing his military service in July 2017, he had forged and submitted a letter to DOCCS claiming that he had to attend mandatory Marine Reserve drill dates well into 2018. Bouille then took these dates off work – even though he was no longer in military service. Bouille was paid more than $3,300 in wages and leave benefits for the days he fraudulently claimed he was attending military drills.

Bouille resigned from DOCCS on October 30, 2019.

“This individual fraudulently cited military service as a way to get out of work, and then further lied in an attempt to scam the workers’ compensation system,” said Inspector General Tagliafierro. “Such actions are violations of the public’s trust. I thank DOCCS for referring the matter to my office after identifying the discrepancy.”

Inspector General Tagliafierro thanks DOCCS and its Office of Special Investigations for their assistance in the investigation, and Chemung County District Attorney Weeden A. Wetmore and his office for prosecuting this matter.

###