An office assistant at the Suffolk County licensing bureau could face up to seven years behind bars for allegedly pocketing $1,300 in bribes to falsify a home-improvement license and insurance application.
Brianna Hassett, 33, who worked for the Suffolk County Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs on Long Island, conspired with a cohort last month to take cash in exchange for providing the applicant — identified as Esteban Bermudez — the answers to a required proficiency exam for the license, prosecutors said.
The DA’s office said she accepted an $800 bribe to rig the application.
Hassett allegedly then took a second bribe of $500 to falsify insurance information on the application.
“The allegations in this case represent a shocking violation of the public trust, as this defendant is
accused of placing her own greed ahead of her duty as a public servant,” Suffolk DA Ray Tierney said in a statement. “My office will not tolerate corruption in any government agency or department.”
Both Hassett and Bermudez, 35, were arrested Thursday.
Hassett was arraigned Friday on charges of bribe receiving, falsifying business records, offering a false instrument for filing and official misconduct and released with probation monitoring, prosecutors said.
She faces up to seven years in prison if she is convicted of the top charge.
Bermudez was issued a desk-appearance ticket and released pending a March 5 court hearing.
“Thousands of county employees work hard every day to serve the public with the highest of
integrity,” Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said in a statement.
“When someone is found to have violated the trust of the public and their colleagues, my
administration will not hesitate to work with the district attorney to have them prosecuted to the
fullest extent of the law,” he said.
