Liberty, NY – The Sullivan County Welfare Fraud Task Force has made the following arrests:
- August 23, 2024 – Sage Pere, 26, of Monticello, was arrested for Criminal Use of a Benefit Card in the 2nd Degree, a Class A misdemeanor. It is alleged that Pere sold her SNAP benefit card, issued by the Sullivan County Department of Social Services, for $50 cash. The card had $100 worth of benefits on it. Pere was processed and released on an appearance ticket to return to the Town of Liberty Court at a later date.
- September 10, 2024 – Zerlinda Velez, 38, of Wurtsboro, was arrested and charged with Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the 1st Degree, a Class E felony, and Welfare Fraud in the 4th Degree, a Class E felony. It is alleged that between April 8 and September 30, 2022, Velez was employed by a private company at the same time she was in receipt of SNAP benefits from the Sullivan County Department of Social Services. On a recertification SNAP form dated May 10, 2022, Velez failed to report her income, which resulted in her stealing $1,000 in SNAP benefits. Velez was processed and released on an appearance ticket to return to the Town of Liberty Court at a later date.
- September 27, 2024 – Andrea Mungin, 57, of Rock Hill, was arrested and charged with Welfare Fraud in the 4th Degree, a Class E felony, and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the 1st Degree, a Class E felony. It is alleged that between October 26, 2022, and August 31, 2023, Mungin stole $2,778 in SNAP benefits from the Sullivan County Department of Social Services by failing to disclose on her HEAP application that she was in receipt of Social Security Disability Benefits during the same time period. Mungin was processed and released on an appearance ticket to return to the Town of Liberty Court at a later date.
- October 3, 2024 – Lourdes Rivera, 47, of Liberty, was arrested and charged with Grand Larceny in the 3rd Degree, a Class D felony, and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the 1st Degree, a Class E felony. It is alleged that between December 9, 2019 and September 30, 2023, Rivera stole $18,670 in SNAP Benefits from the Sullivan County Department of Social Services by failing to disclose that her husband was living in the household during the same time period and was gainfully employed. Rivera was processed and released to return to the Town of Liberty Court at a later date.
