Former Slidell
Police officer found guilty of payroll fraudBy David Freese St.
Tammany News
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William Massimini, a 36-year-old former
Slidell Police Officer, was found guilty in 22nd Judicial District Court of Louisiana
Thursday of filing a false public record, attempted public payroll fraud and
attempted second degree injuring public records.
His supervisor, 65-year-old Guice
Giambrone, who was also on trial, was found guilty of attempted filing a false
public record and not guilty on all other counts including second degree
injuring public record and first degree injuring public record.
Judge Dennis Waldron, a retired judge
from Orleans Parish, presided over the trial because all other previous judges
were recused from the case. It was determined there might be a conflict of
interest if they heard the case, said Rick Wood, spokesman for District
Attorney Walter Reed.
The jury was selected earlier in the
week and the first witness took the stand Monday for testimony to begin.
The story is one that involved
contradictory paperwork, cover-ups and $16,500 of pay that could not be
accounted for.
Massimini began his career as a police
officer for the City of Slidell and in 2004 got a second job as a compliance
officer for Slidell City Court. His role was to monitor curfews, administer
drug tests and communicate with the drug court clients and their parents.
According to a legislative auditors
report, from January 2005-06 the 22nd Judicial District Court, through its
contractor, Human Services Foundation, made 11 payments totaling $16,500 to
Massimini. The payments were received over a 13-month period for work Massimini
did not perform and could not provide paperwork to back up.
Giambrone, who faced similar charges as
Massimini, worked with Human Services Foundation of Baton Rouge, affiliated
with the 22nd Judicial Court, to provide administrative services for St.
Tammany Parish’s drug courts.
As a compliance officer, Massimini was
supposed to receive $1,500 per month and was required to average 30 hours per
week while completing his contractual duty.
Judge Jim Lamz came to Slidell City
Court in 2004 and didn’t learn that the drug court had hired a compliance
officer through Human Services Foundation until 2006.
Out of curiosity and suspicious, Lamz
requested documentation for the work performed by Massimini over the two-year
period of 2004-06.
Massimini’s supervisor cooperated and
provided Lamz with paperwork—mostly faulty reports.
Within the paperwork, Lamz’s staff
discovered that there were no names and that drug clients were listed by
number.
Lamz was not satisfied and requested
additional information. The audit concluded that both Massimini and Giambrone
had submitted what appeared to be false documentation, which couldn’t account
for the $16,500 paid to Massimini.
The suspected discrepancies included
situations such as copying files but changing only the dates, consulting with
10 drug court clients a week after Hurricane Katrina, reporting contact with 24
juveniles following their termination from drug court, and consulting with four
drug court clients the day of Hurricane Katrina. Thirteen former drug court
juveniles and their parents were interviewed regarding Massimini’s role as a
compliance officer. Two juveniles said they were completely unaware Massimini
was assigned to their cases.
Both Massimini and Giambrone were
indicted in August 2007. Their trial concluded Thursday and their sentences
will be handed down May 17.