Originally Posted - October 20, 2005


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State Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing 33 Computers

A former finance clerk for the Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities ("VESID"), an entity of the State Education Department that provides rehabilitation and vocational services to individuals with disabilities, has pleaded guilty to stealing from New York State in connection with the theft of 33 state-owned laptop computers worth more than $40,000.

Kirk Smith, 32, of Manhattan, pleaded guilty before Judge Bruce Allen of the New York Supreme Court, New York County, to the felony crime of grand larceny in the third degree.

Sentencing was set for Nov. 21 when the defendant is expected to be sentenced to 200 hours community service and five years probation.

According to the charges filed in the case, Smith falsified VESID business records to make unauthorized purchases of computers in the names of VESID clients, and then resold the computers and kept the proceeds. 10-20-05

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