Double Dipping Lewiston Police Officer Gets Booted, Forced to Repay Money

LOCKPORT, NY:

His dual role came to an end.

Niagara County District Attorney Brian D. Seaman announced that James F. Ullery, a former officer of the Lewiston Police Department and the Village of Youngstown Police Department, entered a guilty plea in Porter Town Court this week to one count of Official Misconduct, a class “A” misdemeanor in violation of NY State Penal Law Section 195.00(2).

His police career is over.

An investigation by the New York State Police established that Ullery, on numerous occasions over three years, while clocked-in and working as a Town of Lewiston Police Officer, also double dipped and clocked-in at Youngstown Police Department – doubling his wages.

He collected hourly wages from the taxpayers of both Lewiston and Youngstown for the same hours.

District Attorney Seaman said: “The Village of Youngstown maintains a small police force where officers often work alone. Officer Ullery was trusted by the Village to honestly report his time on duty. Unfortunately, he took advantage of this trust and collected wages from Youngstown for time when he was actually working, and collecting wages, from the Town of Lewiston Police Department.”

Ullery appeared in Town Court, plead guilty as charged, and agreed to pay restitution to the Village of Youngstown in the amount of $4,069.80.

He also agreed not to seek future employment as a police officer.

Porter Town Justice David Truesdale sentenced Ullery to a conditional discharge, conditioned on no longer being employed as a police officer, paying the full amount of restitution, and a $250 fine.