Felix Day
October 30, 2025
(WRGB) — Five current and former New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) employees have been arrested for reportedly defrauding the state's workers' compensation system, resulting in a loss of over $15,000. The arrests follow an 18-month investigation by the New York State Inspector General's Office into abuses at the Ulster and Wallkill Correctional Facilities.
The defendants, Christine Donovan, Jeremy LaChance, Ashli Paulino, Brian Porter, and Anthony Tacti, face various charges, including grand larceny and offering a false instrument for filing. Donovan, LaChance, and Tacti were arraigned and released on their own recognizance, while Paulino and Porter received Desk Appearance Tickets.
The defendants, while employed as correction officers, are accused of submitting falsified medical documentation to claim unearned sick leave and workers' compensation benefits. Three of the defendants reportedly submitted fraudulent "Documentation for Workers’ Compensation Leave" forms, purportedly signed by medical professionals, to obtain benefits. Another defendant, who claimed to be 100% disabled due to a workplace eye injury, reportedly worked as a state-funded home health aide during this period, earning over $4,500. The fifth defendant is accused of submitting more than 20 forged sick leave notes over 2 years.
Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel C. Nneji condemned the fraud, stating, “Workers’ compensation fraud is not a victimless crime. Every dollar stolen through deceit is a dollar diverted from legitimate injury claims and essential State programs at a time of crisis. Every dollar stolen through deceit is a dollar diverted from legitimate injury claims and essential State programs at a time of crisis. The fact that these schemes were perpetuated by sworn public officers, who were entrusted with maintaining the safety and security of New York’s correctional facilities and those within them, makes the charged conduct even more egregious. The type of conduct involved here gives a bad name to scrupulous public officers regardless of the amount of benefit received. This collaborative effort demonstrates that those who attempt to cheat the system and the public for personal gain will be held accountable, no matter who they are.”
New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang highlighted the broader implications, saying, “This conduct worsens already severe staffing shortages within New York’s correctional facilities, undermines rehabilitation programming, and jeopardizes the safety of both staff and the incarcerated population. As our prior reporting about rampant abuse of the Workers’ Compensation system by DOCCS officers reflects, these crimes both erode trust in government and drain resources that should be dedicated to workers’ rights, public safety, and rehabilitation.”
