The Town of Sennett highway superintendent has been charged with using town money for his personal use and filing fraudulent paperwork to cover it up.

James F. Smith, 58, of Center Street Road, was arrested on larceny charges Thursday, according to a news release from the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office. Thefts amounting to approximately $565 have been discovered so far, police said.

Inconsistencies in some of Smith's expenditures and his involvement in other financial matters were discovered by the town bookkeeper last week, police said, and Sennett Town Supervisor David Sikora asked for an investigation into the matter.

Lt. Joseph Weeks of the sheriff's office took the complaint and interviewed Smith, who was subsequently charged with one count of offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree, a felony, and two counts of petit larceny, misdemeanors.

He was issued appearance tickets and is due to appear in the Town of Brutus Court at 7 p.m. Nov. 18.

Weeks said he has more interviews to conduct in the investigation, which is currently ongoing.

“The town board and myself are fully aware of the situation that James Smith is in,” Sikora said Friday. “We have no comment because of the pending investigation.” He also said that the town would not comment until the investigation is complete.

Sikora said that Smith has been employed by the town for more than 25 years as highway superintendent. Smith's salary for 2008 was $45,840.37, and his yearly salary in the 2009 budget is listed as $47,673.98.

Smith was re-elected highway superintendent in 2007 and his term will expire in 2009, according to the Cayuga County Board of Elections. He was president of the Cayuga County Town Highway Superintendents Association in 2004 and 2005.