By Jane Smith
The third former Delray Beach city employee prosecuted for his role in using a company that charged the city for goods that were never delivered has pleaded guilty, according to the State Attorney’s Office.
Cesar Irizarry, 51, pleaded guilty on Aug. 8 to a lesser charge of grand theft and was sentenced to three years’ probation.
His case was originally set for a jury trial on that date. He may apply for early termination of the probation after one year if all conditions are met. One condition is enrolling in a theft abatement course within 60 days.
With his co-defendant, Orlando Serrano, Irizarry must repay the city $133,444.87.
Irizarry was a treatment plant operator for about 25 years before he resigned in August 2015.
Serrano, 47, pleaded guilty on June 21 to grand theft of more than $20,000 and organized fraud of more than $20,000. He was sentenced to 12 months in the county jail and received one day’s credit for time served. Serrano, who worked for the city for nearly 19 years, resigned his post as a traffic maintenance supervisor in March 2015. Another co-defendant, Harold Bellinger, died in early March.
Prosecutors dropped the organized fraud count against Irizarry. He also can do community service at the rate of $10 per hour to satisfy court costs of $398 and $100 for prosecution. Irizarry has until Aug. 8, 2019, to pay the costs.
When Irizarry and Serrano left their city jobs last year, they cashed out their pensions, according to the city’s pension administrator. Serrano received $20,256.24 and Irizarry received $36,480.57, less 20 percent for federal income tax with-holding.
Comments