Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney has announced the indictment of Robert Terry, a 65-year-old resident of Southampton and owner of Terry Contracting & Materials, Inc. The charges against Terry include Willful Failure to Pay the Prevailing Wage Rate and other related offenses. It is alleged that Terry misclassified his employees' work categories on certified payrolls, leading to underpayments totaling approximately $83,694.
District Attorney Tierney stated, "This defendant allegedly pocketed money that would have gone to his workers and their families." He emphasized the commitment to preventing business owners from exploiting workers by denying them legally mandated wages on projects funded by taxpayers.
The investigation revealed that between March and August 2018, Terry served as a contractor for the Davis Park Marina Improvement project. This public works contract required him to pay employees the correct prevailing wage rate according to their tasks. Furthermore, he was obligated to submit certified payrolls confirming that proper wages were paid during the project.