Former Briarcliff Fire Chief Pleads In Embezzlement Case

BRIARCLIFF MANOR, NY — Robert Garcia, a former president and chief of the Briarcliff Manor Fire Department, pleaded guilty Monday to embezzling more than $120,000 from the department.

“As he admitted today, Robert Garcia abused his positions of trust with the Briarcliff Manor Fire Department and Fire Council to engage in flagrant self-dealing," U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said in an announcement about the guilty plea. "He lined his pockets with Fire Department and Fire Council money to pay personal expenses, and then lied about it to cover his tracks. Now Garcia may be facing prison time for his crime.”

According to the Information and statements made in related court filings and proceedings:

Garcia was elected to the position of second assistant chief of the BMFD in or about April 2013. His election to that position also made him an officer of the Briarcliff Manor Fire Council, which oversees the BMFD. He was thereafter elected to different administrative and operational positions within the BMFD, including first assistant chief, chief, treasurer, and president. As a result, Garcia was also an officer of the Fire Council from in or about April 2013 through in or about April 2017. He was given signatory authority over bank accounts held by the Fire Council and the BMFD starting in April 2013.

From May 2013 to March 2017, GARCIA embezzled money from the BMFD and the Fire Council by writing checks drawn on the BMFD’s and Fire Council’s bank accounts that he made payable to himself.

He deposited the checks into his personal bank accounts and used the money to pay personal expenses, prosecutors said.

He covered up his thefts by lying about the purposes and payees of the checks he had written to himself on written reports he gave to the Fire Council when he acted as the BMFD’s treasurer from in or about 2014 through in or about April 2017.

In all, he wrote about 150 checks to himself.

"This is a reminder to employ strong checks and balances and internal controls to guard public funds," New York Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said.

Garcia, 51, pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement theft concerning a program receiving federal funds, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentence will be determined by the court.

The Ossining resident is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov 15.

Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, New York State Comptroller and New York State Police. This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorney James McMahon is in charge of the prosecution.

Volunteer fire departments in the Hudson Valley have been rocked by scandals.

• Former Mahopac Fire Department Treasurer Sentenced in $5.6 Million Theft
• Ex-Treasurer to be Sentenced in Patterson FD Embezzlement
• FBI Investigating Port Chester Fire Company's Missing $40K
• Former Fire Chief Stole More Than $300K From CFD: DA
  

PHOTO: Briarcliff Firehouse/ Sarah Studley