Liberty, NY – The Sullivan County Welfare Fraud Task Force reports the following arrests:
• April 18, 2018 – Miroslava Josanovic, 57, of Woodridge applied for SNAP (food stamps), Temporary Assistance and Medicaid at the Department of Family Services in Liberty. Investigators became suspicious when Josanovic submitted what appeared to be questionable documents with her application. Upon further review it was revealed that Josanovic, who is a citizen of Serbia, had overstayed her visa, which expired in 2015. The suspect was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is awaiting an immigration hearing.
• April 20, 2018 – Mitchell Murns, 27, of Liberty was arrested on a parole violation. It is alleged that Murns was consorting with a known sex offender in violation of his parole conditions. A joint investigation between the Fraud Task Force and NYS Division of Parole was initiated when a Task Force member observed Murns and a known sex offender together in the same room at a County-funded housing facility. Murns is currently in the Sullivan County Jail awaiting a parole hearing.
• April 24, 2018 – Matthew C. Husted, 26, of Roscoe and Katarina L. Hoag, 20, of Downsville were arrested for Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree, a Felony. A joint investigation between the Fraud Task Force and Monticello Police Department determined that Husted and Hoag caused $3,000 in damage to a hotel room that was being provided to them by the Department of Family Services. The pair was arrested and turned over to the Monticello Police. They were arraigned in the Village of Monticello Court and released pending a future court date.
• April 26, 2018 – James L. Degraw, 44, of Liberty was arrested and charged with 13 Felony counts of Filing a False Instrument in the 1st and 13 Misdemeanor counts of Theft of Service. It is alleged that Degraw stole $1,034.80 in public funds by using Medicaid-funded medical transportation to travel to Monticello for non-medical purposes. Degraw was arraigned in the Town of Liberty Court and remanded to Sullivan County Jail without bail.
• April 26, 2018 – Brad E. McCombs, 39, of Liberty was arrested and charged with the Class A Misdemeanor of Non-Support of a Child in the Second Degree. It is alleged that McCombs owes $1,500 in child support and was working off the books to avoid payment. McCombs was arraigned in the Town of Liberty Court and released pending a future court date.
The Sullivan County Welfare Fraud Task Force consists of investigators from the Department of Family Services’ Special Investigations Unit, the District Attorney’s Office and the Sheriff’s Office. Fraud can be reported to the 24 hour confidential hotline at 845-513-2392.
