BRONX, NY – Nakia Gales, a former officer with the New York City Department of Correction, has been sentenced to a three-year Conditional Discharge and must pay a $5,000 fine for her involvement in using and selling forged disability parking placards. The sentencing was handed down by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Timothy Lewis.
Gales was convicted on five counts of second-degree Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument on April 25, following a jury trial. The prosecution had sought a one-year jail sentence for her actions.
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark emphasized the severity of Gales’ misconduct, noting her role as a public servant and the disadvantage her actions posed to community members with severe disabilities who rely on such placards for better accessibility in their daily lives.
Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber remarked on the breach of trust, highlighting that disability placards are meant to aid those who genuinely need them to access convenient parking spaces. Gales’ activities not only violated the law but also fell short of the expected standards of integrity and honesty for city employees.
According to the investigation, Gales had possessed five forged placards, selling three to a fellow Correction Officer and using two in her personal vehicles while parked at her workplace, the Bronx County Hall of Justice. The payments she received ranged from $200 to $280 per placard.