GRAND JURY FILES ADDITIONAL CHARGES OF GRAND LARCENY AND OTHER OFFENSES AGAINST FORMER NEW YORK CITY CORRECTION DEPARTMENT BUREAU CHIEF ANTHONY SERRA

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson and New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Rose Gill Hearn today announced the unsealing of a second indictment containing new charges against Anthony Serra, a former Correction Department Bureau Chief.

The new one hundred and forty four count indictment charges Serra, 42, of Mahopac, New York, with one count of Grand larceny in the 2nd degree, a Class C felony offense; sixty eight counts of Falsifying business records in the 1st degree, a Class E felony offense; sixty eight counts of Offering a false instrument for filing in the 1st degree, a Class E felony offense; three counts of Unauthorized use of a vehicle in the 3rd degree, a Class A misdemeanor offense; two counts of Petit larceny, a Class A misdemeanor offense; and two counts of Official misconduct, a Class A misdemeanor offense. The offenses occurred between February, 2001 and October, 2002.

It is alleged that Serra, while serving as a high ranking official at the City jail on Rikers Island, used Department of Correction personnel on construction projects at his home in suburban Mahopac, New York in Putnam County. The work was performed, at taxpayers’ expense, by personnel who were supposed to be on duty at Rikers Island.

These new charges involve the remodeling of a bathroom and kitchen, the construction of a basketball court and the installation of stereophonic loud speakers in a ceiling at Serra’s home. It is also alleged that Serra arranged for a truck, trailer and mini tractor owned by the Department of Correction to be transported to his home upstate for use in the construction of the basketball court. Another allegation involves the execution of a search warrant in the defendant’s daughter’s dormitory room at college, where investigators recovered a television and video cassette recorder owned by the Department of Correction.

Serra is also accused of falsifying time sheets and over time hours for the employees involved. In one instance paper work indicated that Department of Correction personnel were assisting at the crash site of commercial airliner in Far Rockaway on November 12, 2001, when in fact, it is alleged, the employees spent most of their time in Mahopac working at the defendant’s home.

Serra was charged with similar offenses earlier this year on February 13, 2003 in an eighty nine count indictment following a nearly five month long joint investigation by the New York City Department of Investigation and the Office of the Bronx District Attorney.

The top charge in this new indictment is a Class C felony offense, which is punishable by a maximum sentence of up to fifteen years imprisonment. The most serious charge in the February indictment is a Class D felony offense, which is punishable by a maximum sentence of up to seven years imprisonment.

District Attorney Johnson and Commissioner Hearn said the investigation is continuing.