Former Deputy Erie County Clerk Alexander McDougall on Friday pleaded guilty to felony counts of grand larceny and offering a false instrument for filing for stealing over $320,000 in county funds, State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane, and Erie County Sheriff John Garcia announced.
“Instead of safeguarding public money, Alexander McDougall abused his authority, diverting taxpayer funds meant to benefit Erie County for his own use,” Comptroller DiNapoli said. “Thanks to my partnership with Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane, Erie County Sheriff John Garcia and Erie County Comptroller Kevin R. Hardwick, he is being held accountable for his crimes.”
The Erie County Comptroller’s Office conducted an internal audit of the Erie County Clerk’s Registrar Division and referred its findings to DiNapoli’s office, requesting a forensic audit. DiNapoli’s office, in partnership with the Erie County District Attorney’s Office and the Erie County Sheriff, expanded the scope of the Erie County Comptroller’s inquiry and examined the period of Jan. 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023. The investigation was subsequently expanded when McDougall began in his position of deputy clerk on Jan. 1, 2019.
Every business day, the Erie County Clerk’s office collects a variety of fees such as court filings, mortgage taxes, and pistol permits. The staff prepares deposit slips for each payment. As deputy clerk, McDougall was responsible for reviewing each deposit slip and reconciling them with daily collection reports to ensure accuracy and accountability.
The investigation found that in hundreds of instances, cash was collected but not deposited. In most instances, the total amount of cash collected by one of the clerks was missing.
The investigation uncovered that cash was deposited into McDougall’s personal bank account on several days the cash was not deposited into the county clerk’s bank account. DiNapoli’s auditors determined over $320,000 of recorded cash receipts were not deposited into the clerk’s account.
McDougall, 55, appeared in Erie County Court before Judge Sheila DiTullio. Sentencing was scheduled for Oct. 25.
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