Spada Charged With Falsifying Paperwork

Former Huntington maritime director Dom Spada was indicted and arraigned  on charges he falsified paperwork related to a Civil Service exam, Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini said Wednesday.

Spada resigned last week as director at the behest of Town Supervisor Chad Lupinacci, who nonetheless praised him at the time for his work.

Sini said Spada allegedly falsifying his work experience on an application with the Suffolk County Department of Civil Service and conspiring with another individual to corroborate the false claims.

Spada, 58, is charged with Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a class E felony; Making a Punishable False Written Statement, a class A misdemeanor; Falsifying Business Records in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor; and Conspiracy in the Fifth Degree, a class A misdemeanor.

He had take over director duties part time after the town fired his predecessor, Edward A.T. Carr in March 2019, and became director in June 2020, has held numerous simultaneous positions in the town and the Village of Huntington Bay, as well as a private job.

Spada is the former director of Maritime Services for the Town of Huntington; an elected trustee in the Village of Huntington Bay; a harbormaster in the Town of Islip; and the First Assistant Chief of the Halesite Fire Department.

In August 2018, while serving as the Deputy Director of Maritime Services for the Town of Huntington, Spada filed an application with the Suffolk County Department of Civil Service to take the open competitive examination for the position of Bay Constable. The position requires applicants to have a minimum of two years’ maritime experience in order to qualify for the position. Spada allegedly falsely claimed on his application to have worked for a Huntington-based maritime towing company for five years. He also allegedly entered into a conspiracy with the owner of the company to corroborate his false application.

After Spada applied for a bay constable’s job, several people in the boating community objected, pointing out that bay constables report to the maritime director, and some questioned his qualifications for the constable position.

In May 2019 HuntingtonNow.com asked the Suffolk County Civil Service department about a letter challenging Spada’s right to take the bay constable exam.  Stanley Pelc, the county’s director of examinations, replied, “We investigated  the matter and have determined that the Bay Constable candidate did meet the minimum qualifications.”

Spada was arraigned  in front of Acting Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Richard Horowitz and was released on his own recognizance. He is being represented by Raymond Perini and is due back in court on March 16.

If convicted of the top count, Spada faces a maximum sentence of one and one-third to four years in prison.

Herb Morrow, mayor of the Village of Huntington Bay where Spada is a trustee, said “My board and I were unaware of any issues with Mr. Spada’s responsibilities in the town. When Dom was appointed to the maritime position by supervisor Lupinacci  I questioned his qualifications and was also concerned about potential conflicts of interest with his elected responsibility as a trustee in Huntington bay.  If these charges are true it is very disappointing and very unfortunate for his family.”

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kevin Ward, of the Public Integrity Bureau.

 

 

 

 

 

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