OGDENSBURG — A former union treasurer has been arrested on embezzlement and forgery charges, state police said Wednesday.

Phillip J. Jessmer, 42, Waddington, was arrested at 1:45 p.m. Tuesday in connection with an investigation into the alleged theft of $7,616 through forged checks before he was fired from his post as treasurer for Civil Service Employees Association Local 185, which represents civilian employees at Ogdensburg Correctional Facility.

The alleged thefts are believed to have taken place from April 2010 to December 2011. Following an audit, CSEA officials reported their findings to state police last month, troopers said.

“We became aware of some irregularities, and as is our procedure, we did investigate,” CSEA spokesman Mark M. Kotzin said Wednesday from Syracuse.

“We then turned the matter over to authorities to investigate, as also is our procedure,” Mr. Kotzin said.

Mr. Jessmer held the treasurer’s position from July 1, 2009, until February 2012, Mr. Kotzin said.

State police charged him with one count of third-degree grand larceny of a value greater than $3,000, and eight counts of second-degree possession of a forged instrument in connection with checks that he fraudulently signed and cashed, troopers said. Both offenses are class D felonies.

Mr. Jessmer was arraigned in City Court and released under probation supervision, state police said. He is to appear again before the court Jan. 29 to answer the charges.

Thousands of readers like you have made Northern New York Newspapers the number one ranked website* for local news and sports coverage in the north country.

You can continue on to this article in a few seconds, or you can visit one of our websites:

• Watertown Daily Times
• The Ogdensburg Journal
• Daily Courier-Observer