Liberty, NY – The Sullivan County Welfare Fraud Task Force has made the following arrests:
- Kala Jackson, 33, of Liberty was arrested and charged with the Class A Misdemeanor of Misuse of Food Stamps. It is alleged that Jackson used an EBT card at Walmart that did not belong to her. Jackson was issued an appearance ticket to appear in the Town of Thompson Court at a later date.
- Michael N. Taurino, 42, of Fallsburg was arrested and charged with the Class E Felony of Offering a False Instrument for Filing 1st and the Class A Misdemeanor of Theft of Service. It is alleged that Taurino stole $206.68 in public-funded transportation by using Medicaid medical transportation for non-medical purposes. Taurino was arraigned in the Town of Liberty Court and remanded to Sullivan County Jail without bail.
- Chaz M. Fitch, 41, of Yonkers was arrested on an outstanding Sullivan County Family Court Warrant for failing to pay in excess of $5,528 in owed child support. Fitch was remanded to Sullivan County Jail to serve six months.
- Jessica T. Ellis, 31, of Ferndale was arrested and charged with the Class E Felony of Offering a False Instrument for Filing 1st and the Class A Misdemeanor of Theft of Service. It is alleged that Ellis stole $228.77 in public-funded transportation by using Medicaid medical transportation for non-medical purposes. Ellis was arraigned in the Town of Liberty Court and remanded back to Sullivan County Jail where she is currently incarcerated on other charges.
- Gail Moore, 43, of Livingston Manor was arrested and charged with the Class D Felony of Grand Larceny 3rd, the Class E Felony of Offering a False Instrument for Filing 1st, and the Class A Misdemeanor of Theft of Service. A joint investigation between Sullivan County Probation and the Welfare Fraud Task Force resulted in the allegation that Moore stole $3,825.46 in public-funded transportation by using Medicaid medical transportation to visit her son at the Sullivan County Jail and attend her probation appointments at Sullivan County Probation. Moore was arraigned in Sullivan County Court and remanded to Sullivan County Jail without bail.