Deputy pleads not guilty to grand larceny, falsifying business records
ALBION – An Orleans County deputy sheriff accused of grand larceny and falsifying business records to collect unearned pay in a part-time security job pleaded not guilty to a 102-count indictment.
Tom Marano was arraigned by Sara Sheldon in Orleans County Criminal Court this afternoon on 101 counts of falsifying business records and one count of third-degree grand larceny.
Last Monday she arraigned Dean Covis, a sergeant with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, who faces a 141-count indictment.
Both Marano and Covis are accused of submitting false time sheets, log books and collecting pay for security work they didn’t perform. They were paid $20 an hour to provide security at the hydroelectric plant in Waterport. The facility is owned by Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners.
Marano was paid about $4,000 for security work when he was allegedly working shifts for the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office. (Covis allegedly was paid about $14,000 for security work while he was on the clock for the Sheriff’s Office.) The alleged crimes occurred near the end of 2013 through the beginning of 2015.
Lawrence Friedman, the Genesee County district attorney, is serving as special prosecutor for the cases against Marano and Covis.
Friedman didn’t request any bail for Marano during arraignment today, the same as for Covis last week. Friedman said they have made all of their court appearances and aren’t flight risks.
Sheldon said the case against Marano in tentatively scheduled to go to trial on Jan. 9, the same start date for a trial against Covis.
Friedman told the judge he wants the cases to be prosecuted separately and not share a trial. Sheldon said she would handle the cases separately.
In terms of the trial dates, set for the same day, “we’ll adjust it later,” Sheldon said.
