The justice of Pembroke Town Court was suspended last week, and his cases were reassigned, according to the state’s Commission on Judicial Conduct.
Justice Robert E. Alexander, who also served as Corfu village justice, has been accused of obstructing a financial audit that incriminated his daughter when she was working as the Corfu Village Court clerk. The suspension Thursday follows his July 17 indictment on three misdemeanor charges.
Alexander, 67, allegedly tried to stop the State Comptroller’s Office audit, which found a cash shortage of $10,628 from Nov. 1, 2009, to Sept. 12, 2011, while his daughter, Brandi Watts, was serving as court clerk.
The audit also found that $16,883 in fines and bail money hadn’t been recorded. Auditors also found numerous instances of cash, checks and money orders being recorded for less than what was paid by defendants.
The audit led to a New York State Police investigation, followed by the grand jury indictments.
Watts, who was fired Aug. 12, 2011, has been charged with one count of fourth-degree grand larceny, two counts of third-degree grand larceny, five counts of tampering with public records and 53 counts of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing, all felonies. The audit also questioned why Watts was ever named to be her father’s court clerk.
Both Alexander and Watts have pleaded not guilty to indictments lodged against them in Genesee County Court.
Alexander’s cases have been reassigned to Town Justice David M. O’Connor by A. Gail Prudenti, chief administrative judge of the state Office of Court Administration.
email: msommer@buffnews.com
Justice Robert E. Alexander, who also served as Corfu village justice, has been accused of obstructing a financial audit that incriminated his daughter when she was working as the Corfu Village Court clerk. The suspension Thursday follows his July 17 indictment on three misdemeanor charges.
Alexander, 67, allegedly tried to stop the State Comptroller’s Office audit, which found a cash shortage of $10,628 from Nov. 1, 2009, to Sept. 12, 2011, while his daughter, Brandi Watts, was serving as court clerk.
The audit also found that $16,883 in fines and bail money hadn’t been recorded. Auditors also found numerous instances of cash, checks and money orders being recorded for less than what was paid by defendants.
The audit led to a New York State Police investigation, followed by the grand jury indictments.
Watts, who was fired Aug. 12, 2011, has been charged with one count of fourth-degree grand larceny, two counts of third-degree grand larceny, five counts of tampering with public records and 53 counts of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing, all felonies. The audit also questioned why Watts was ever named to be her father’s court clerk.
Both Alexander and Watts have pleaded not guilty to indictments lodged against them in Genesee County Court.
Alexander’s cases have been reassigned to Town Justice David M. O’Connor by A. Gail Prudenti, chief administrative judge of the state Office of Court Administration.
email: msommer@buffnews.com