Suffolk County correction officer gets prison time for pay theft

A former Suffolk County correction officer has been sentenced to 3 months in prison for illegally collecting $28,000 in county pay while working as a security guard in the Connetquot school district, authorities said.

Steven Compitello of Bohemia also was ordered Friday in U.S. District Court in Central Islip to forfeit the $28,000 and serve 3 years of supervised release.

Compitello, who was convicted of theft and was fired, apologized for his actions, his attorney Thomas Spreer said Tuesday.

Federal investigators had been probing the Compitello case along with a similar, unconnected scheme by Edward Walsh, the former Suffolk County Conservative Party leader and lieutenant in the correction department.

Walsh was sentenced to 2 years in prison in June for pocketing over $200,000 in pay and overtime from the department while he was golfing, gambling or involved in Conservative Party activities.

By Robert E. Kessler

Robert.Kessler@newsday.com

Bob Kessler covers federal law, including law enforcement agencies such as the FBI, DEA, IRS and ATF, as well as the federal courts.