April 2, 2009
Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau announced today the indictment and arrest of a maintenance supervisor for the New York State Department of Mental Health (OMH) and his sister for receiving bribes in connection with the award of construction projects at several state psychiatric facilities.
The defendants, VICTOR BOISSIERE, 37, and SABRINA BOISSIERE, 35, were indicted on charges of bribe receiving. The crimes charged in the indictment occurred between March 1, 2004 and March 23, 2006.
The investigation leading to today’s indictment and arrest revealed that the BOISSIERES received a total of $6,600 from a contractor in return for their rigging bids on seven construction projects worth approximately $83,000 at the Manhattan Psychiatric Center on Ward’s Island.
As a maintenance supervisor for OMH, VICTOR BOISSIERE was in a position to choose the contract to whom a job went. He was also responsible for gathering bids from contractors for submission to the business office of Manhattan Psychiatric Center. SABRINA BOISSIERE, a general mechanic at the psychiatric center functioned as an administrator in the business office, and was therefore able to assist her brother in the scheme.
The defendants were indicted on charges of Bribe Receiving in the Third Degree, a class D felony, which is punishable by up to 2⅓ to 7 years in prison.
The investigation that culminated in today’s actions was a joint effort by the District Attorney’s Office and the Office of the State Inspector General Joseph Fisch. The Inspector General’s investigation is continuing.
Mr. Morgenthau thanked New York State Inspector General Joseph Fisch for his office’s assistance in the investigation, including First Deputy Inspector General Kelly Donovan, Investigative Counsel Quentin Atherley Sr., Director of Audit George Cullen and Investigative Auditor-in-Charge Angelus Okeke. Mr. Morgenthau also thanked the New York State Police for their assistance in the investigation, including Superintendent Harry J. Corbitt, Special Investigation Unit Major Matthew S. Renneman, Lieutenant George Nohai and Investigators Neal Anderson and Timothy Santiago, who were supervised by Senior Investigator Gustav Talleur.
2 Assistant District Attorney Jean Marie Donohue, of the Labor Racketeering UnitConstruction Industry Strike Force, is handling the prosecution under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michael Scotto, Chief of the Labor Racketeering Unit.
Defendant Information:
VICTOR BOISSIERE,
6/11/1971 338 North High Street
Mount Vernon, New York
SABRINA BOISSIERE,
8/23/1973 1975 Birchall Avenue
Bronx, New York