Ex-Suffolk County Conservative Party Chairman Edward Walsh, Jr., Sentenced To 24 Months For Fraud Scheme

Earlier today at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, New York, former Suffolk County Conservative Party Chairman Edward M. Walsh, Jr. was sentenced to 24 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, $202,225 in restitution, and $245,811.21 in forfeiture. Walsh was convicted at trial in March 2016 on charges of theft of government funds and wire fraud in connection with his employment with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO). The sentencing proceeding was before United States District Judge Arthur D. Spatt.

The sentence was announced by Bridget M. Rohde, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI).

As proven at trial, from January 2011 to April 2014, Walsh, a SCSO Correction Officer III Investigator, falsely represented to the SCSO that he had worked certain regular and overtime hours when in fact, he did not work those hours. Contrary to his representations, Walsh was, among other things, playing golf, gambling at Foxwoods Casino, or performing work on behalf of the Suffolk County Conservative Party. In reliance on Walsh’s false representations, the SCSO paid Walsh wages for hours he did not work. Over the course of the indictment period, Walsh was paid more than $200,000 for regular and overtime hours he did not work.

“The defendant, Edward Walsh, Jr., engaged in sports gambling and politics on the taxpayer’s dime to the tune of $200,000,” stated Acting United States Attorney Rohde. “We will continue to ensure that public officials who abuse their positions will be brought to justice.” Ms. Rohde extended her grateful appreciation to the FBI New York Office for its excellent work in the investigation that lead to Walsh’s trial conviction and the SCSO for its important assistance with the investigation.

“What Walsh did was steal taxpayer money, plain and simple. He misrepresented the hours he worked with the intent of deceiving his employer, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, which in turn netted him more than $200,000,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “We certainly expect more from our public servants. Today’s sentence should remind the public that nobody gets a free pass.”

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Raymond A. Tierney, Catherine M. Mirabile, and Madeline O’Connor are in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

Edward M. Walsh, Jr.
Age: 51

East Islip, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 15-CR-091 (ADS)