Arraignments set for Aug. 21 for deputy, sergeant facing grand larceny charges
ALBION – A sergeant and deputy with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office will be arraigned at 2 p.m. on Aug. 21 at the Orleans County Courthouse.
A grand jury on Monday handed up a 243-count indictment against two Orleans County deputies, who are accused of submitting false time sheets, log books and collecting pay for security work they didn’t perform.
Sgt. Dean Covis allegedly was paid about $14,000 and Deputy Thomas Marano was paid about $4,000 for security work when they were working shifts for the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.
The two were paid $20 an hour to provide security at the hydroelectric plant in Waterport. The facility is owned by Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners.
Covis has been charged with 140 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree for allegedly submitting false time sheets and for making inaccurate log book entries for time in and time out, as well as for activities during his shift, said Lawrence Friedman, the Genesee County district attorney who is serving as special prosecutor.
Covis also faces one count of grand larceny in the first degree.
Marano faces 101 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree for submitting false time sheets and log book entries, Friedman said. The deputy also is charged with one count of grand larceny in the first degree.
The alleged crimes occurred near the end of 2013 through the beginning of 2015, Friedman said.
The State Police handled the investigation and charged Marano and Covis on May 17.
Niagara County Court Judge Sara Sheldon is serving as judge in the case.
Covis and Marano were on paid leave, but were notified by the county on July 13 that they would be on unpaid leave but could be paid for unused vacation time.
