A Passaic County corrections officer faces criminal charges for theft after she was reportedly busted stealing money from a union chapter.
The suspect is a 53-year-old woman who lives in Paterson NJ and works as a corrections officer for the Passaic County Sheriff s Office. She also used to serve as the treasurer for Patrolmen s Benevolent Association (PBA) Local #197, the local union chapter for law enforcement officials.
According to authorities, the suspect embezzled money from the union by making cash withdrawals from bank accounts and then using the cash for personal expenses. The suspect allegedly committed the fraud and theft crimes between December 2011 and May 2016.
When union officials became aware of the missing money in 2016, they notified the Passaic County Prosecutor s Office. Detectives then launched an investigation and eventually uncovered enough evidence to arrest the suspect.
If the suspect is convicted on the theft charges, she would be subject to severe criminal penalties. Since the penalties for theft offenses are determined by the amount of money stolen, the suspect in this case could potentially be sentenced to 3-5 years in NJ State Prison if she is convicted of third degree theft.
After being placed under arrest and charged, the suspect secured her release from police custody on her own recognizance.
The suspect no longer serves as the PBA union treasurer.
For further information about this case, access the NJ.com article, “Corrections Officer Charged with Stealing Funds from Union Accounts.”
