Former Huntington town employee indicted by Suffolk D.A.
Charged with alleged conspiracy and falsification of civil service application
A Huntington resident, who until recently worked for the town and serves as a Village of Huntington Bay trustee, is facing charges for allegedly falsifying his work experience on a Suffolk County Department of Civil Service application and conspiring with another individual to corroborate the false claims.
On Feb. 10, county District Attorney Tim Sini (D) announced the indictment of Dominic Spada, 58, according to a press release from Sini’s office. The charges include offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree; making a punishable false written statement; falsifying business records in the second degree; and conspiracy in the fifth degree. All are class A misdemeanor crimes except for offering a false instrument, which is a class E felony.
Spada stepped down as the director of Maritime Services for the Town of Huntington Feb. 5, according to town Supervisor Chad Lupinacci (R), who accepted the resignation. The supervisor made it clear in an email statement that the charges have nothing to do with Spada’s position with the town.
“Based on Mr. Spada’s accomplishments during his short time in office, he may be the best director of Maritime Services the town has ever had, which is what makes this loss so significant,”
Lupinacci said.
“Mr. Spada’s stellar record includes making our waterways and shorelines safer than ever before for residents, beachgoers and boaters, taking the cost burden off the taxpayer in the process, returning federal and state tax dollars back to Huntington through grant-funded emergency response boats, and his complete in-house, under-budget renovations of our marinas and waterfront facilities that were neglected for 20 years. What Mr. Spada achieved for the town and all of our residents is unparalleled and we thank him for his service,” the supervisor added.
According to the DA’s office, in August 2018, Spada, who is also a Town of Islip harbormaster and the first assistant chief of the Halesite Fire Department, filed an application with the Department of Civil Service to take the open competitive examination for a bay constable position. Applicants must have a minimum of two years maritime experience to qualify, and Spada allegedly claimed on his application that he had worked for a Huntington-based maritime towing company, according to Sini’s office. Spada also allegedly claimed he worked for five years for the company, and he asked the owner of the company to corroborate his false application.
According to Spada’s profile page on the Village of Huntington Bay’s website, the village trustee has been a Huntington resident for 10 years. In 2007, he was recognized as the Halesite Fire Department Firefighter of the Year. He also was listed on the website as coaching youth lacrosse and football, and playing lacrosse in an over-40 league. He is married and has two children.
Spada was arraigned Feb. 10 and pleaded not guilty. He was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court March 16. If convicted of the top count, Spada can face four years in prison.
