Parole Chief To Resign After Inspector General's Report

An investigation by New York State Inspector General Joseph Fisch found that New York State Division of Parole Chairman George B. Alexander took a government computer in 2007 and did not return it until anti-theft software traced it to his home.

As a result of the Inspector General's investigation, Alexander has submitted his resignation to the Governor's office and the Governor's office has accepted it.

The report revealed that Alexander took a $1,700 Gateway Tablet laptop just before he left his job as Erie County Probation Director to become Parole chairman. Purchased under a state Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) grant to reduce juvenile violence, the computer was traced to Alexander's home after a DCJS audit in early 2008.

On June 4, 2008, the Inspector General referred the case to the Attorney General for criminal prosecution.

"We hold all state employees to the highest standards of honesty and accountability," New York State Inspector General Joseph Fisch said. "State resources are to be used for the public good, not for personal gain." For more information on the case, please see the Inspector General's report.

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