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George Greanias, president and chief executive officer of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO), has been suspended for one week without pay for violating the agency’s computer-use policy, agency officials announced.

A METRO investigation revealed that Greanias used his personal computer to access “more than one dozen adult-oriented sites of a sexual nature” through the agency’s Internet system during 14 days between Feb. 9 and July 1, METRO officials said in a prepared statement.

Typically under such circumstances, the agency’s policy calls for a verbal reprimand. However, METRO Chairman Gilbert Garcia concluded that as president and CEO, Greanias must be held to a higher standard and, therefore, received the suspension as a “more stringent punishment,” agency officials said.

“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,” Garcia said. “However, George must be held accountable and the community must have confidence that the new METRO will be open and transparent.”

Greanias is scheduled to return to work Aug. 8. In a letter to employees, he said he made a mistake and that he accepts the disciplinary action “willingly.”