HOUSTON â METRO's president and chief executive officer has been suspended for looking at porn through the company's Internet system.
METRO officials said an investigation revealed that George Greanias accessed more than a dozen adult-oriented sites of a sexual nature on 14 days from Feb. 9 to July 1.
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Agency officials said Greanias was on his own computer, but was logged onto the agency's Wi-Fi network.
Greanias was suspended for one week without pay, officials said.
METRO officials said the normal disciplinary action for a violation of this nature is a verbal reprimand, but the chairman decided that Greanias should be held to a higher standard.
"George Greanias has done an excellent job in the past year and three months turning the agency around and improving transit services, morale and community relations," Chairman Gilbert Garcia said. "However, George must be held accountable and the community must have confidence that the New METRO will be open and transparent."
Officials said the violations were discovered when the agency was making upgrades to allow some employees access to social media websites, such as Twitter and Facebook.
Greanias sent a letter to employees admitting that he made a mistake.
"I agree with that judgment, and I accept it willingly," Greanias wrote.
"He was embarrassed," Garcia said.
Greanias was scheduled to return to work on Aug. 8. He will forfeit about $4,500 in pay.
"He had not lost the confidence of this board," Garcia said. "We think he will lead the agency to accomplish all the things that are still on our plate."