Story by Ethan
On April 30th, the arrest of James Wilson, age 46, was announced by Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. James Wilson was charged with 50 counts of second-degree Offering a False Instrument for Filing alongside both third and fourth-degree Grand Larceny. The arrest and charges against James Wilson were a result of an investigation handled by Correction Officer Investigators Anthony Palmer and Matty Lupinacci of the DOI’s Office of the Inspector General for DOC.
According to the Queens District Attorney’s Office, James Wilson was previously employed as a correctional officer assigned to Rikers Island from December 19th, 2016, to May 3rd, 2024. During this employment period the defendant was out on sick leave periodically between January 2nd, 2022, and November 19th, 2022. City regulations stipulate that uniformed correction officers, such as James Wilson, reporting sick for nine or more days during the calendar year may not leave their residence unless it’s to visit a physician or hospital. Any other circumstances for leaving must be properly documented and submitted to the Department of Correction’s Health Management Division (HMD). James Wilson allegedly submitted documentation supported by Med Care Consultants in Brooklyn, New York, stating he had received treatment on 10 occasions from January 5th, 2022, to November 19th, 2022. Each letter was signed and stamped by doctors. James Wilson submitted 18 additional letters claiming he received treatment at Professional Care Physical Therapy in Staten Island, New York, from April 20th, 2022, to September 27th, 2022. These letters were all signed by a physical therapist. Between the dates of April 24th, 2022, to November 19th, 2022, James Wilson claimed in letters, signed by a doctor, to have been treated on 10 occasions at Victory Internal Medicine/Mount Sinai Doctors in Staten Island, New York. More alleged documentation about 10 instances of treatment from a physician in Queens, New York, were made by the defendant for between the dates of January 2nd, 2022, and September 11th, 2022. Investigation into the defendant’s claims revealed that he was never treated at any of the aforementioned practices on the dates in question, nor did anyone at said practices gave permission for James Wilson to submit any of the letters. One of these instances included letters allegedly signed by Dr. Walter Pizzi claimedhe had received treatment on April 27th and 30th in 2022. However Dr. Walter Pizzi had already passed away on December 24th, 2021. Over the 43 dates being investigated James Wilson had been paid a total of $13,727.45.
The Queens District Attorney’s Office stated that the charges against James Wilson are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
