A.G. Schneiderman Announces Guilty Plea Stemming From Theft From Suny Binghamton Construction Project

VESTAL – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced the guilty plea of Donald McManus, 56, of Apalachin, to the charge of Attempted Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a class “A” misdemeanor. The plea stems from allegations that Mr. McManus pocketed $8,200 worth of the proceeds from the sale of leftover copper used as part of the East Campus dorm construction at the State University at New York – Binghamton (SUNY Binghamton). Mr. McManus is expected to be sentenced to three years of probation, to pay restitution in the amount of $8,256.59, and to not work in a construction job or in any capacity for SUNY Binghamton. 

“A theft from a SUNY construction project is a theft from the taxpayers of New York State,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “My office will investigate and prosecute individuals who attempt to pocket public money for their own personal gain.”

According to documents filed in court, in 2008, SUNY Binghamton and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) began the construction of dormitories for the East Campus of SUNY Binghamton.  DASNY contracted with LeChase Construction Services to be the General Contractor for the project. McManus was a LeChase employee and the project executive for the construction project who supervised the LeChase construction team, as well as some of LeChase’s subcontractors on the project. As part of the construction project, temporary copper wire was installed at the construction site. Once it was no longer needed, the temporary wire was sold, and the proceeds belonged to SUNY Binghamton. McManus admitted in court that between July and December 2011, he kept proceeds from the sale of the copper wire that belonged to SUNY Binghamton, and agreed to provide restitution in the amount of $8,256.59 to SUNY Binghamton.

Mr. McManus entered his guilty plea before The Honorable Joseph B. Meagher in Vestal Town Court.

The OAG thanks the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York and DASNY Investigator Tom Vasile for their assistance with this investigation.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Mary Gorman of the Public Integrity Bureau. The Public Integrity Bureau is led by Bureau Chief Daniel Cort and Deputy Bureau Chief Stacy Aronowitz.  The Public Integrity Bureau is part of the Division of Criminal Justice led by Executive Deputy Attorney General Kelly Donovan.  The investigation was handled by Investigator Mitchell Paurowski of the Investigations Bureau, with support from Investigator Richard Doyle, Deputy Bureau Chief Antoine Karam, and Bureau Chief Dominick Zarrella.  Executive Deputy Attorney General Kelly Donovan leads the Criminal Justice Division.