Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 48-year-old Phillip Fleck of Lancaster pleaded guilty before Erie County Court Judge Susan M. Eagan to one count of Official Misconduct, a Class A misdemeanor.

Fleck admitted that between December 3, 2015 and November 29, 2016, while employed as the superintendent for the Department of Public Works for the Village of Depew, he purchased a backhoe, having earlier negotiated his own personal purchase of property belonging to the village. This behind the scenes deal was an unauthorized exercise of his office, and done for his own benefit.

The defendant resigned from his position in November 2017.

Fleck faces a maximum of 1 year in prison when he is sentenced on September 6 at 9:30 a.m.

DA Flynn commends the Village of Depew for their assistance in this investigation.

“I am committed to prosecuting public officials who use their power for their own benefit and violate the trust of the people they serve,” said DA Flynn. “The Public Integrity Unit within our Special Investigations and Prosecutions Bureau is charged with prosecuting corrupt public servants. I hope that the residents in the Village of Depew feel that justice has been served by the defendant pleading guilty to the charge.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Gary M. Ertel of the DA’s Special Investigation and Prosecutions Bureau.