Firefighter Charged with Falsifying Records at Cutchogue, NY, Fire Department

A Cutchogue firefighter allegedly falsified dozens of records to help him and family members obtain credit for responses they did not go on.

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said James P. Burns faces charges including official misconduct and first-degree tampering with public records, which is a Class D felony.

Tierney said Burns, 27, gave himself and members of his family credit for 96 calls that they did not respond, according to North Fork Patch.

Last September, Burns used the department's record keeping system to add himself and three family members to response logs for 55 calls.

The false entries would allow one family members to be eligible to collect money from the department's Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP). If they collected based on the false reports, Tierney said it would be fraudulent monetary benefits.

"These allegations evince a lack of integrity that is not representative of the brave men and women who volunteer to serve as firefighters in towns across Suffolk County," Tierney said "Our residents deserve honest government at all levels, and my office will continue to seek out and prosecute violations of the public trust."

He was arrested Wednesday and released after being charged.

If convicted, he could face two to seven years in prison.