Hudson Valley Elected Official Stole Over $21,000 in Town Funds

An elected official in the Hudson Valley admitted she embezzled over $21,000 including stealing funds from a senior center.

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On Thursday, Jolene Roy, 45, of Pine Bush, pleaded guilty in Orange County Court to grand larceny and tampering with public records, in connection with the embezzlement of over $21,000 from the Town of Crawford, where Roy served as Town Clerk.

At the time that she pleaded guilty, Roy admitted that between May 1, 2017, and Dec. 31, 2018, she embezzled funds from the Town of Crawford that she received as Town Clerk. She also admitted making false entries in the Town records to conceal the thefts.

"Ms. Roy was an elected official who was trusted to make sure that taxpayer dollars were being used responsibly. Now, she is a convicted felon who must pay back more than $20,000,” New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said.

An investigation by the New York State Police, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and the New York State Comptroller’s Office revealed that Roy stole in excess of $21,000, including by stealing funds that the Town was to receive from the rental of rooms for events at the Town of Crawford Senior Center, officials say.

“Public service is a sacred trust and those who abuse their positions to enrich themselves must be held accountable,” Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said. “Embezzlement cases, particularly those involving the tampering of records, are always challenging to investigate and I thank the New York State Police and the New York State Comptroller’s Office for their resources and their expertise in handling this investigation, as well as the Town of Crawford Police Department for aiding in the investigation.”

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Roy is scheduled to be sentenced on May 18, 2020. Roy agreed that on or before that date she will pay $21,296.25 in restitution to the Town of Crawford.