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A city schools employee who worked in human resources was arrested today for failing to pay his state income taxes, according to the city’s Department of Investigation.

Richard Brescia, 54, the Department of Education’s Director of Performance Management and Talent Development, has been suspended without pay pending the investigation’s outcome, said DOE spokesman David Cantor.

“Stunningly, this schools official ignored his basic civic duty to file tax returns and compounded that crime by concealing it in City disclosure filings, according to the charges,” said DOI Commissioner Rose Gill Hearn in a statement.

“If true, the allegations constitute a breach of public trust that would be especially troubling given the Department of Education’s commitment to children,” Cantor said.

DOI STATEMENT ON ARREST OF DOE OFFICIAL ON TAX FRAUD AND FALSE FILING CHARGES

ROSE GILL HEARN, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), issued the following statement regarding the arrest today of the Director of Performance Management & Talent Development of the City Department of Education (“DOE”) on charges of falsely reporting on City financial disclosure forms that he filed State income tax returns and of failing to file State income tax returns. DOI assisted the office of New York County District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Office of Tax Enforcement in this investigation. Today’s arrest is the result of these agencies’ examining City employees’ compliance with State law mandating the annual filing of State tax returns.

The New York County District Attorney’s Office arrested RICHARD L. BRESCIA, 54, of Manhattan, this morning, and is prosecuting the case.

DOI Commissioner Rose Gill Hearn said, “Stunningly, this schools official ignored his basic civic duty to file tax returns and compounded that crime by concealing it in City disclosure filings, according to the charges. Honesty and integrity are expected of every City employee, especially a key administrator entrusted with a management role in the City schools. City employees, like all New York State residents, must file their tax returns or face the potential consequences of arrest and prosecution. DOI will continue to work with the New York County District Attorney’s Office and the State Department of Taxation and Finance to expose and stop those City employees who flout the tax law.”

BRESCIA has been employed by DOE since September 2007, was assigned to DOE’s offices in Brooklyn, and receives an annual salary of approximately $113,483. He will be suspended.

DOI Commissioner Gill Hearn thanked New York County District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. and Jamie Woodward, Acting Commissioner of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, and their staffs, for their joint work on this investigation.

Assistant District Attorney Gilda I. Mariani, Chief of the Money Laundering and Tax Crimes Unit at the New York County District Attorney’s Office, has been assigned to the prosecution of the case.

DOI’s Office of Inspector General for the City Department of Finance assisted in the investigation.

A criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.