By DIANE VALDEN
HUDSON—A Columbia County grand jury indicted Sara Thorne, the Chatham Rescue Squad’s former business manager, on multiple counts of theft and falsifying business records. A seven-count indictment against her was unsealed and she was arraigned in Columbia County Court before Judge Jonathan D. Nichols, June 14, according to a press release from District Attorney Paul Czajka.
The grand jury charged that Ms. Thorne, 57, now of North Carolina, formerly of Columbia County, while serving as business manager for the Chatham Rescue Squad, a tax-exempt organization, engaged in a scheme to defraud the company.
She is alleged to have used the Chatham Rescue Squad credit card for personal expenses for a total of $1,068, manipulated her bonuses to make the rescue squad pay the taxes on $9,528.65 and took an unauthorized cash payout for paid time off to the tune of $6,481.60.
In total, the grand jury alleged Ms. Thorne padded her salary with $17,078.32 in funds.
She was arraigned in County Court on the following charges:
*Two counts of third degree grand Larceny, a class D felony
*Three counts of petit Larceny, a class A misdemeanor
*Two counts of first degree falsifying business records, a class E felony.
The alleged crimes took place over several years from November 2017 to October 2021. The alleged crimes came to light during an audit by investigators with the State Comptroller’s Office.
The Chatham Rescue Squad serves the towns of Ghent, Chatham, Austerlitz Canaan and New Lebanon and receives funds from those municipalities to support its organization.
“The District Attorney’s Office takes very seriously the misuse of taxpayer dollars for personal benefit,” Deputy Chief ADA Ryan Carty, who investigated and is prosecuting the case, stated in a press release.
Also in the release, DA Czajka praised the work of the investigators of the New York State Comptroller’s Division of Investigations and New York State Police for their work on the case.
“We appreciate the diligence and hard work of the State Comptroller’s Office in this complex financial investigation. Comptroller DiNapoli and his team of investigators and auditors have uncovered several criminal schemes in Columbia County over the last several years. This is only the latest,” Mr Czajka said in the release.
Albany-based attorney Mark Sacco represents Ms. Thorne. Judge Nichols released Ms. Thorne on her own recognizance pending a return court appearance July 24.
Speed is factor in fatal crash
By DIANE VALDEN
TAGHKANIC—A Craryville man was killed in a crash at 1257 County Route 11, May 29 at 7:10 p.m.
Columbia County 911 dispatched Craryville firefighters, the Community Rescue Squad and State Police to the scene of the rollover accident.
Police report: Robert Lamont, 26, of Craryville was traveling at a high rate of speed northbound on County Route 11, when his vehicle crossed the roadway, exited the road off the southbound shoulder, struck a tree and a fence before flipping over. There were no other vehicles or victims involved in the accident. The driver suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Hillsdale firefighters responded to provide mutual aid.
Columbia County Fire Coordinators assisted on the scene and County Coroner Kevin Marchetto was requested to scene.
Firefighters were back in service at 11:04 p.m.
To contact Diane Valden email dvalden@columbiapaper.com
Three sentenced on meth charges
HUDSON—Two men and a woman were sentenced for possessing illegal drugs for potential sale, May 16.
Defendants Khashand Branch, Xavier Anderson and Jamie Van Alphen were sentenced May 15, after pleading guilty to second degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a class A-II felony, for possessing one or more preparations containing methamphetamine with an aggregate weight of two ounces or more.
The New York State Police Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team arrested the trio in July 2020 after a search warrant was issued by the Columbia County Court.
Defendants Khashand Branch, 23, of Catskill; Xavier Anderson, 32, of Hudson; and Jamie Van Alphen, 38, of Hudson, admitted to possessing methamphetamine which weighed in excess of 1/8 of an ounce for the purposes of selling it.
Mr. Branch was sentenced to 6 years determinate with 3 years post release supervision; Mr. Anderson was sentenced to 2 years with 2 years post release supervision and Ms. Van Alphen was sentenced to 5 years probation.
Attorney John McFadden represents Mr. Anderson; Attorney Dennis McEvoy represents Mr. Branch and Attorney Trevor Hannigan represents Ms. VanAlphen.
