A Town of Islip fire marshal has admitted to his role in coercing four applicants into not accepting town jobs in a scheme to hire preferred candidates.
Michael Allen pleaded guilty Tuesday at Suffolk County court to one misdemeanor charge of coercion. He and a second town official had been indicted on 16 counts, including official misconduct and bribe receiving.
Prosecutors have said Allen and John Carney, the former Islip commissioner of public safety, coerced the applicants into not accepting jobs so that the duo could instead hire other candidates that did not score as high on the Civil Service exam.
Carney, who resigned, citing health concerns, shortly before his arrest last September, was convicted in April of three counts of coercion. A jury acquitted him of bribe receiving and official misconduct. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Fernando Comacho on Aug. 3.
Allen, who was a former Assistant Fire Chief when he was arrested last year, was placed on administrative duty, town officials have said. His employment status after his guilty plea was not immediately clear. He will be sentenced Sept. 13.
