Statement from New York State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott

I am pleased that the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) has held former engineer in charge Larry Selan accountable for his misconduct. New York’s taxpayers expect integrity and honest performance among state employees. Stealing from the public cannot and will not be tolerated.

JCOPE’s conclusions are the result of an Inspector General investigation which found that Selan abused his position of authority and sold state Department of Transportation-owned highway guide rail to a local scrap yard and pocketed $553 in cash from that transaction. The guide rail was valued in excess of $11,000. He also abused his authority by directing a contractor to repave his driveway at no charge, and install a sidewalk at his home at no charge.

As a result of the investigation by my office, Selan was terminated from state employment.