ALBANY – New York State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott announced today that a State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (“OPRHP”) employee has been charged with stealing more than $62,000 in boat dockage and rental fees from the Wellesley Island State Park in the Thousand Islands while he was in charge of the marina there.
David Gosier, 51, of Rt. 181, Lafargeville, a ‘Park Worker 3’ for OPRHP, was charged with Grand Larceny in the Second Degree and three counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, felonies, and Official Misconduct, a misdemeanor.
“This State worker ran a long-term scheme operating a State facility using State resources to allegedly skim more than $62,000 for himself,” said Inspector General Leahy Scott. “He violated the public’s trust and will now be held accountable for his actions.”
Inspector General Leahy Scott’s investigation found that Gosier has worked for OPRHP since 1983 and became a full-time employee in 2006 responsible for dock fees and boat rentals at the Wellesley State Park Marina. The marina has 46 seasonal boat slips available for rent on a seasonal basis and several slips available for transient rental, as well as small power boats available for rent on a daily or weekly basis.
Slips would generally rent for between $19 and $28 for an overnight stay with seasonal rentals based on the size of boat at a minimum of $800. Motor boats would rent for between $50 and $75 per day, depending on size.
The investigation found Gosier routinely accepted payment for the dock and boat rentals by cash or personal checks made out directly to him. Transactions were recorded on triplicate forms and on numerous occasions Gosier allegedly falsely reduced the length of the rental periods on the copies sent to park offices so that they would indicate less revenue than he actually collected. In total, the investigation determined Gosier stole at least $62,000 in fees that should have gone to the State between May 2012 and August 2015.
Gosier was arraigned in Town of Orleans Court.
The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott thanked OPRHP for their assistance with the investigation and the State Park Police for their assistance with the arrest. She also thanked Jefferson County District Attorney Cindy F. Intschert and her office for prosecuting this matter.
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