ALBANY—The State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department denied an appeal from judgment for Pegeen Mulligan-Moore.
Ms. Mulligan-Moore was convicted June 21, 2011 after pleading guilty to a 20-count indictment for two counts each of second and third degree grand larceny, two counts of computer trespass, fourth degree grand larceny, eight counts of first degree falsifying business records, two counts of first degree tampering with public records, second degree obstructing governmental administration, fifth degree criminal possession of stolen property, and second degree attempted forgery.
While a clerk and bookkeeper for the Town of Kinderhook, Ms. Mulligan-Moore stole several hundred thousand dollars from town coffers over three years.
She later performed similar duties for the Town of Greenport from which she stole more than $50,000.
Acting State Supreme Court Judge Jonathan Nichols sentenced Ms. Mulligan-Moore to an aggregate prison term of three to nine years and to pay restitution.
Attorney Stephen Coffey with O’Connell and Aronowitz law firm in Albany, representing Ms. Mulligan-Moore, argued on appeal that the sentence imposed upon his client was “harsh and excessive.”
In a decision dated December 19, the Supreme Court Judge J.T. Lahtinen disagreed, questioning her claim that the crimes were motivated by a “shopping addiction” and stressing “the scope of her deceit in stealing massive sums of money from the two towns over several years.”
The court found “no extraordinary circumstances nor… abuse in discretion that would warrant a reduction of the sentence in the interest of justice.”
