WESTBROOK - Town Constable Benjamin Quinones, 42, of 45 Meetinghouse Lane in Westbrook, was served with an arrest warrant by State Police yesterday on charges of first degree larceny. The arrest followed a State Police investigation into charges that Quinones had allegedly submitted false time sheets in his job as lieutenant at Connecticut Valley Hospital (CVH) for overtime hours that he had not worked.

The initial complaint about possible false time sheets was filed by the State of Connecticut, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, in February 2011 and, after evidence supporting the complaint was found, led to his termination from that post.

With respect to his second job as a part-time town constable, Quinones was placed on paid administrative leave on March 17, 2011 by First Selectman Noel Bishop. Bishop took this action after he was told by State Police that CVH had recommended Quinones be terminated from his job at CVH after evidence supporting the false time sheet issue was found.

Bishop confirmed that Quinones as of last week had been paid $12,983 by the Town of Westbrook while on paid administrative leave from his position as part-time Westbrook constable. Bishop said he is in consultation with the town's labor counsel and will review the underlying facts of the Quinones case before making a decision about his continued employment with the town.

Quinones turned himself in to the State Police Troop "F" in Westbrook on March 1. He will appear in Superior Court in Middletown to answer the criminal charges of larceny in the first degree on Thursday, March 15.