Nassau Veteran Charged With Filing False Papers To Gain Pension Credits

A Levittown man was arrested on Tuesday and charged with submitting fake Army deployment papers to the Levittown Fire Department, where he was a volunteer firefighter, to get pension credits he didn't deserve.

Raymond Nicholson III, 34, was charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and two counts of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing. He was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court Sept. 25. If convicted, Nicholson faces a maximum of 2-1/3 years to seven years in prison.

"This defendant allegedly fabricated military orders so he could receive pension credits afforded to volunteer firemen without putting in the required work," said District Attorney Madeline Singas. "Falsifying government documents to receive unearned benefits is a serious crime that victimizes taxpayers, and I am grateful to the Levittown Fire Department for bringing this matter to our office for prosecution."

Singas said that in February 2016 and 2017, Nicholson, who was a volunteer firefighter with the Levittown Fire Department, allegedly submitted two falsified orders to the department which said he had been called to active duty with the Army.

The first set of allegedly falsified orders, dated Feb. 17, 2016, stated that he was to report to Andrews Air Force Base on Feb. 25, 2016 for 364 days. The second set were dated Feb. 26, 2017, and the orders stated that he was to report to the World Trade Center for 180 days on March 1, 2017.

As a result of an active duty order, Nicholson was exempt from meeting his fire call quota with the fire department but was still credited with time toward his pension.

A routine audit from the fire department brought attention to Nicholson’s military orders. Fire officials then contacted the Army, which confirmed that the defendant was not called to active duty on those dates.

An investigation by the district attorney was started on May 12 after an attorney for the Levittown Fire Department filed a complaint.

Nicholson was honorably discharged from the Army in September, 2006, and then joined the Levittown Fire Department. He has resigned from the fire department and is currently employed as a Homeland Security/Customs & Border Patrol Agent at JFK Airport.

Photo: District Attorney's office