A Baldwinsville attorney facing felony grand larceny charges has been arrested again after New York State Police say he attempted to leave the country in violation of a court order.
State Police arrested 41-year-old Donatello Lazarati on Friday, charging him with second-degree bail jumping, a Class E felony, and second-degree criminal contempt, a misdemeanor.
According to investigators, the charges stem from Lazarati’s alleged failure to comply with conditions imposed following his arraignment on an earlier felony charge. The court had ordered him not to leave the United States and directed him to surrender his passport.
Lazarati had been arrested on June 23 and charged with third-degree grand larceny, a Class D felony.
State Police allege an investigation found Lazarati, while working with the Assigned Counsel Program in Chenango County, submitted duplicate invoices for the same legal services and accepted payment twice. Investigators said the scheme resulted in an estimated $4,700 financial loss to Chenango County.
Following his arraignment on Wednesday at the Chenango County Jail’s Centralized Arraignment Part, Lazarati was released on his own recognizance. As conditions of his release, he was ordered not to leave the country and to surrender his passport by Friday.
On Thursday, State Police learned Lazarati had allegedly purchased an airline ticket to Qatar and was attempting to depart the United States from John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Members of State Police Troop NYC arrested Lazarati at the airport. He was later transported to State Police headquarters in Norwich for processing before being returned to the Chenango County Jail.
Lazarati was remanded to jail on $35,000 cash bail, a $50,000 credit bond, or a $250,000 partially secured bond.
