New York State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott announced the arraignment today of James A. Ferro, former Director of Operations for the Special Investigations Unit in the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS), on charges he forcibly touched and repeatedly harassed a subordinate employee.
Inspector General Scott said Ferro was indicted by a Grand Jury and arraigned on the following charges: Forcible Touching, a class A misdemeanor, Official Misconduct, a class A misdemeanor, Coercion in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor, and Harassment in the Second Degree, a violation.
“The defendant is charged with serious crimes, committed against his own employees, engaging in assaulting, bullying behavior,” said Inspector General Scott. “He was responsible for overseeing investigations of misconduct, and yet he allegedly used his power and authority to commit outrageous offenses against his own employees who felt powerless to stop him. He will now be held accountable in the court system for the acts he is alleged to have committed.”
“Every New Yorker is entitled to a workplace that is free of harassment and where they are treated with dignity and respect,” said New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who is prosecuting this case. “Those who abuse a position of public trust by engaging in sexually inappropriate conduct towards a subordinate must be held accountable.”
The Inspector General’s investigation revealed that Ferro had been repeatedly harassing a subordinate employee for years. Ferro’s alleged misconduct, which included the inappropriate touching of an employee’s genitals, arose in DOCCS office facilities. The Inspector General’s investigation resulted in Ferro’s arrest on January 12.
Inspector General Scott thanked DOCCS Acting Commissioner Anthony J. Annucci for the department’s continued cooperation in her investigation. She additionally thanked New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for prosecuting the case.
DOCCS is responsible for more than 54,000 individuals under custody held at 54 state facilities, and 36,500 parolees supervised throughout seven regional offices. The Special Investigations Unit investigates cases of alleged misconduct by DOCCS employees.
Ferro was arraigned before the Hon. Peter Lynch of Albany County Court. The defendant is deemed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.