Saturday, December 6, 2014

U.S. Attorney will not pursue charges against CO Kevin Rogers

LETTER

The U.S. Attorney, in a rare letter of vindication, said he will not bring formal charges against Kevin Rogers, the corrections officer who was being investigated for improperly spending union funds.

Rogers was the vice president of the now defunct Sheriff’s Employees Association of Rensselaer County. He came under investigation for spending union dues on dinners at expensive restaurants, strip clubs, charitable organizations he fancied and political campaigns of candidates he favored.
Sheriff Jack Mahar placed Rogers on suspension with full pay – about $75,000 - four years ago while the federal government investigated. Now that the investigation is closed, it’s unclear if Rogers will go back to work for his paycheck. Mahar has, in the past, said Rogers will never work at the jail again.
The union’s president at the time, Mark Piche, was also investigated. He pleaded guilty to tax evasion in an unrelated matter involving the Red Front Restaurant, which is owned by his family, and resigned his post as a corrections officer. As was reported earlier, part of that deal was his agreeing to testify against Rogers should the case ever made it to trial. 
ROGERS
U.S. Attorney for the Northern District Richard S. Hartunian, in the Dec. 5 letter to Rogers’s attorney Gaspar M. Castillo, said he would hand information over to the state Attorney General, but the statute of limitations is rapidly approaching. And, it’s widely believed, that if the federal government couldn’t find any crime after four years of probing, the state government will give it a cursory glance at best.
Sources say that investigators for the U.S. Attorney’s Office reached out to Rogers on a number of occasions – the latest being last week – saying they were ready to indict and that it would go easier on him if he cooperated. Rogers declined to talk and instead called their bluff.
Rogers never denied spending the union money in the manner stated above and most, if not all, of the transactions were recorded as expenditures in the union check book. However, once the investigation was kicked off, union members complained of not having access to the records, asked for a criminal investigation and voted to dissolve the union.
The initial complaint filed by some union members came after Gary Gordon challenged Mahar for sheriff in 2011. Personnel at the jail were split on which camp they supported during the heated, contentious campaign.
MAHAR
This fall, Rogers joined a handful of jail employees – civilian and uniformed - who filed a civil suit against Mahar and Rensselaer County for claims their medical records were accessed in violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPPA. The county has settled one suit for $20,000.  
The U.S. Attorney – or any investigatory body – rarely sends a letter stating the case is closed and charges will not be pursued. The only other person to receive such a letter, in recent memory, was then Cohoes Mayor Bob Signoracci after the FBI concluded its investigation into a number of alleged financial improprieties without bringing charges in the mid-1990s.
More information as it becomes available.

68 comments:

  1. The end is near for Mahar. Time for the Republicans to find a new Sheriff

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  2. How much has Mahar cost Rensselaer County taxpayers?? What a disgrace. And the Republicans back him.

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  3. If Jack runs he wins easy. That's why so many X dems are trying to come on over to the Repub side.

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  4. Scott this is not the way to kick off your bid to run for sheriff. You should however be prepared to explain the Carm Laquidara signs that where placed inside the fences at the Independent baseball field this fall aren't you the President there? Oh there's a picture also.

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  5. Did jimino and daddy have anything to do with this letter?

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  6. Now we know what george did on his week off

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  7. This now comes down to Pat Russo do you take Mahar on? If not Scott is going to

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  8. It's the start of the new year and the law suits begin just in time for the the upcoming Sheriffs race. What should the Republicans do. The Dems are hoping Mahar runs.

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  9. Good job Kev. Your not a rat, only rats talk. Your just crazy and don't give a f@#k. Now file a lawsuit against clay face. Take care Buddy.

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  10. This travesty of justice could only happen in Rensselaer County. It is all about who you know.

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  11. Today is the day peg and lou don the clothes they wore to their senior prom

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  12. Can't wait for Jim Gordon to run for mayor. He'll be wetting himself under Vitos folding tent by the end of summer.

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    1. Save it Superhero.... go grab Wonder Woman and call it a day.

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    2. Why does Jim take up so much space in your head?

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  13. Nice, us taxpayers basically rewarded this guy with a 4 year long $300,000 vacation.

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  14. Scott Ryan for Sheriff

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    1. He's a dunce. But I like him.
      Jack mahar is the Wurst

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  15. Who cares who wrote the night before christmas. Get a real job dingbat

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  16. Scotty Ryan is not whsts needed down there. He's a nice guy and all but he's all "umm uhh duhh" and he rambles on all the time and tells more stories than teddy ruxpin.
    I'd much rather see PJ Higgett run or maybe Jack Rogers give it another go. I hear video officer Alen Maybe is considering running as well? I think the first line of business should be to find out what really happened to Gary Herb and if Jimmy Karam spread national security secrets to Isis...
    Those are the most pressing issues if u ask me

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  17. Who is Scott Ryan? Lol

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  18. Rensselaer County politics and Government are filled with boobs and nepotism. Its repulsive to even say your from here. Just look at the past twenty years of what these scumbags have been doing on the taxpayers dime. We are ruined with all of the bs and unions.

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  19. Merry Christmas csea. Love the boat club

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    Replies
    1. City employees were completely out of control if it was any of us we would have been arrested

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  20. I agree 455. You keep seeing the same last names with the problems in Troy for over 40 years now. It won't change until you get rid of all the spawn.

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  21. We need someone who does not play politics

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  22. Keep your fingers crossed. Vary good news coming soon for the family. Its time for things to be made right again.Stay tuned!~~!

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    Replies
    1. I doubt it. And that's a fact Jack.

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  23. Dicus u ruined the party boy

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  24. Csea sure knows how to leave a lasting impression on the venues that host them. Fights syringes and urnal bombs oh yeah

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    1. Next year we should have it at Jacks Hamburgers so there is plenty of room in the parking lot for drunken assholes to act their normal selves. Then when someone calls up the posse there will be plenty of room for everyone.

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    2. Some employees can just roll down the hill

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  25. Don't forget the hore ms clause

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    1. Wow that was totally uncalled for. If you're going to say something so absurd put your name so she can confront you. That's the most vile thing I have ever read here. You should apologize!

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    2. Hore? Or whore? Scumbag. Get you spelling right.

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    3. I feel really sorry for the one that had the balls to post this comment. Hope you really thought it through before publishing it.

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    4. This post has Andrew Petersen written all over it!!!!!!!!!

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    5. Must have been revenge from the time he was called out at the prior Christmas Party.

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  26. Scott Rogers for sheriff

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  27. Heard someone that is known may be gearing up to take Mahar on in a primary

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  28. Anyone looking at pay levels of incoming staff in DAs office? It'll knock your socks off.

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    1. Cya Gary, wouldn't want to be ya!

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    2. Thank god gary gordon is gone

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  29. Flag
    Anonymous1 Rank 609
    Let me get this straight, the incoming District Attorney, whose sole job is to combat crime in the county has fired an investigator in order to "increase efficiency." In a year in which the City of Troy experienced more murders and shootings than any year in recent memory, the new DA has fired an investigator?
    I find it funny that the new DA fires an investigator who recently ran for office as a democrat. I find it odd that he is taking that salary and a salary from another position that he terminated to create a position for a PR person to make $78,000 to speak about the office's successes. Exactly how does any of this increase office efficicency? How does any of this make the county safer? Last time that I checked, the majority of Assistant District Attorneys in the office all made $25,000-$30,000 less than this PR person who has been hired to brag about the work that these Assistant District Attorneys are doing. How does that make sense? Oh yeah, it makes sense when you realize who that PR person is going to be ... none other than Lou Desso's son! That's right, the same Lou Desso who is one of the biggest republican operatives, was able to get his son a job that pays him more than almost anyone in the District Attorney's Office. The same Lou Desso that was able to get his job at the county even though it required the county to pass a resolution to actually DECREASE the job qualifications so that sweet Lou could get the job. Well maybe is son is qualified to make this much more than nearly every ADA ... nope, think again, he is a manager at Target.
    What a disgrace ! « less

    3 hours ago 1 Like Like Reply Share

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  30. What about the job cuts? Bye bye Gary McFly.

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  31. Gary, the budget for the DA's office is exactly the same as before while under Laquadara with the only difference is they got rid of one position and that was yours. You couldn't possibly have thought you would keep your job after being caught fixing tickets and some of the other questionable tactics you used. Get a job with Lou and Pete, the hire people of your questionable integrity all the time. They can put you in Dunne's office.

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  32. http://www.troyrecord.com/general-news/20100515/three-seats-up-for-vote-in-burgh

    Higgett don't stand a snowballs chance in hell

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    1. Higgett had to step down from the Voting Job because I exposed him for letting countless Fraudulent Absentee Ballots go right under his nose and never doing any thing about it.
      This is not going away Higgett

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  33. Has any ice cream been delivered to city hall this Christmas. Is bill Dunne jolly?

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  34. Remember the days that harry and Dan would have a christmas pizza party for the city hall workers? Appreciation goes along way loushbag

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    Replies
    1. Nope - not in my City Hall. When was that?

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    2. The last thing those fat asses needed was a pizza party.

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  35. I heard a police sergeant in Troy is testing the waters, don't know which party though.

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  36. Buddy McAvoy for Sheriff!

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  37. 3 weeks since a new story and 5 days since an update. Phone it in Franco is becoming just like the record. Where the f#%k are you Jim?

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  38. I think Franco has forgotten about us.

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  39. If Kevin isn't being charged then when will he return to work. Seems crazy that tax payers are footing the bill here and there are no plans for him to return to the jail. Look into this FRANCO.

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  40. The new year is coming and Mahar is going. If he comes back from theSouth

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  41. Soon the names will come out who may take on Mahar. Russo won't run, Ryan is unknown. Someone please step up.

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  42. At the swearing in Pat was asked by several people about running. Never gave them an answer. Ryan says he is in. Will have to wait and see what Crist and company are going to say.

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  43. Why isn't rogers back at work yet?

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