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| Former Newburgh Fire Chief, Michael Vatter |
According to the US Attorney, " NY Michael Vatter, the former Newburgh City Fire Chief, cheated the public he swore to serve by double-dipping, receiving both a public pension and a paycheck at the same time. Today, he admitted to his fraud, and he will be held accountable for his corruption.”
According to the Indictment:
VATTER served in the Newburgh City Fire Department in various capacities from in or about 1980 until his retirement in May 2000. Following his retirement, VATTER attended law school and practiced law. In November 2009, the Indictment charges, VATTER returned to the Newburgh Fire Department as its Chief. The Indictment further alleges that VATTER failed to report his return to the public sector New York State and Local Police and Fire Retirement System despite knowing he had a duty under state law to do so. As a result, VATTER received more than $95,000 in pension benefits that he was not entitled to receive.
Under New York State law, a public sector retiree who is receiving a pension and who returns to public service cannot receive both pension payments and a public sector paycheck. The law permits public sector retirees to earn up to $30,000 per year from public sector employment before their pension benefits are cut off for that year.
VATTER, 57, of Walkill, New York, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison." See story here...https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/former-newburgh-city-fire-chief-pleads-guilty-wire-fraud-fraudulently-obtaining
The Judge and feds base the prison sentence primarily on the money stolen. For $95,000.00, I would predict anywhere between probation and two years.
As you can see from above story, the statute says up to 20 years. This is a very cruel and tough country. The only way this can change if congress changes the amount in the statute. A man does not need 20 years to figure out he made a mistake. So how great our democracy is, it has a lot to do in terms of making sentencing more humane. You can destroy someones life with a 20 year sentence and don't think this cannot happen to you. The criminal system in the United States is all encompassing. Trust me, I have been through the hell of the system.
As you can see from above story, the statute says up to 20 years. This is a very cruel and tough country. The only way this can change if congress changes the amount in the statute. A man does not need 20 years to figure out he made a mistake. So how great our democracy is, it has a lot to do in terms of making sentencing more humane. You can destroy someones life with a 20 year sentence and don't think this cannot happen to you. The criminal system in the United States is all encompassing. Trust me, I have been through the hell of the system.
To read my prison story, go here....http://www.amazon.com/PRISON-expect-Federal-Bureau-Prisons-ebook/dp/B011GTWLOG
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