April 8, 2019 By Laura Hanrahan
A Forest Hills woman was arrested and charged with forging Department of Buildings documents on more than 70 different filings as a means to expedite the approval process, the Department of Investigations announced Friday.
Evelyn Dellutrie, 55, allegedly forged an engineer’s stamp of approval on plan inspections for dozens of DOB construction plans. She will now face up to seven years in prison if convicted of the multiple charges of forgery, perjury, offering a false instrument for filing, falsifying business records, and criminal possession of stolen property.
“The defendant in this case is accused of using a professional stamp in a fraudulent manner, sidestepping procedures and a key safety feature,” said John M. Ryan, Queens Chief Assistant District Attorney, in a statement. “These professional stamps are a key component in verifying that a competent, licensed professional has certified that construction plans are in compliance with applicable City code and rules. This kind of malfeasance will not be tolerated.”
According to court documents, between November 2014 and August 2015, Dellutrie submitted a variety of work plans for projects in Queens, largely commercial developments, that bore the stamp of approval from Evelsons Consultant Inc., a Manhattan-based consulting firm that says it did not approve the work. After an investigation by the DOI, an engineer’s stamp was found in Dellutrie’s home.
The plans that were falsely approved by Dellutrie were missing key information, such as specific drawings and verifiable cost estimates. These projects have since been put on hold.
On social media, Dellutrie has listed her occupation as a Project Manager at Evelsons Consultant Inc. since 2011. It is unclear how, or if, Dellutrie was profiting off the fraudulent approvals she was giving.
“In allegedly forging the credentials of a professional engineer, this defendant potentially compromised the integrity of commercial construction projects and attempted to circumvent a process meant to keep City construction safe, according to the charges,” said DOI Commissioner Margaret Garnett.
“These actions led to plans being submitted with missing drawings and other problems that could have posed risks to the reliability of the construction work,” Garnett said.
One Comment
Lock her up