Seven CBP union executives, three from north country, arrested after alleged grand larceny scheme

Jonathon Wheeler, Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
·1 min read

Jul. 3—WATERTOWN — Seven executive board members of a union representing U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, including two from Watertown and one from Massena, were arrested by state police Tuesday after an investigation into an alleged grand larceny scheme.

Those charged are each executive board members of the National Treasury Employees Union Chapter 138, Champlain. Six of the seven charged face felony counts.

Craig Mothersell, of Watertown, a vice president with the local, is charged with third-degree grand larceny, a felony, while Roy Arndt, also of Watertown and also a vice president, faces the same count in the fourth degree, which is also a felony.

David Murtaugh, of Massena, the local's executive vice president, is charged with a misdemeanor count of petit larceny.

State police say these three, in addition to four others arrested, misappropriated funds from federal government accounts and union monies by double billing both organizations for official travel and taking cash advances for personal benefit.

Also charged are the local's president, Thomas O'Keefe, of Plattsburgh, who is charged with third-degree grand larceny; Joseph McVey, Clifton Park, the local's president/treasurer, charged with fourth-degree grand larceny; Jamey Goheens, Malone, the local's president and ex-vice president, charged with third-degree grand larceny; and Michael Lacy, Plattsburgh, an executive vice president, charged with fourth-degree grand larceny.

State police said they were assisted in the investigation by the Customs and Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York, and the Clinton County District Attorney's office, which is also prosecuting the case.