The daily star online
March @, 2004
Delhi News Bureau
DELHI —
A Unadilla man who stole $28,348 in cash and $812 in merchandise from the Walton Dollar Store was sentenced to prison in Delaware County Court on Monday.
Jeremy J. Green, 30, pleaded guilty to third-degree grand larceny.
"I took the money out of the daily deposits for personal use," Green said. "I tried to make it up the following day, but it just kept snowballing."
Delaware County District Attorney Richard Northrup said Green stole the money and merchandise between May and October.
"What strikes me the most is not that someone in a position of trust stole money to support a gambling
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habit," Northrup said, "but that he lied on his job application, which enabled him to insert himself in a position of trust."
Northrup said Green had been fired from three previous jobs after he was caught stealing merchandise and money, but he failed to indicate that he had lost the jobs on his job application.
Michael Mendelson, who was appointed to defend Green, said Green readily admitted what he did was wrong, but Mendelson said Green's actions were dictated by his addiction.
"The ability to withstand the temptation to steal is beyond his control," Mendelson said.
Delaware County Judge Carl Becker said, "A gambling addiction explains the conduct, but it does not in any way excuse it. You could well have put that successful business under."
Becker sentenced Green to one to three years in prison and ordered restitution of $500 to cover the Walton Dollar Stores insurance deductible. He also issued an order of protection forbidding Green from entering the premises of the Walton Dollar Store.
In another case, Duane Hansen, 37, of Walton pleaded guilty to a second-degree course of conduct against a child for incidents involving a child under the age of 13. Hansen said he touched the intimate parts of the child for sexual gratification.
Northrup said the incidents occurred between 2000 and June 8.
Becker sentenced Hansen to 10 years' probation with the first six months in jail. He also issued an order of protection prohibiting Hansen from being around any school or facility for the treatment of children.
Hansen was classified as a Level One sex offender, and Becker ordered him to submit a blood sample for DNA testing.
Three driving-while-intoxicated cases were also heard in court:
• Michael P. Makara, 37, of Arkville pleaded guilty to DWI and first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. The charges stemmed from an incident in Middletown on July 26.
Makara was sentenced to five years' probation with four months of weekends in jail. He was fined $2,000, and his driver's license was revoked.
• Gregory Baron, 39, of Upper Saddle River, N.J., pleaded guilty to DWI, third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and failure to keep right. The charges stemmed from an accident in Franklin on June 9.
Baron was sentenced to five years of probation with 180 days of electronic monitoring or 90 days in jail. He was fined $1,500.
• Brian R. Certo, 40, of Delhi was charged with two counts of DWI and failure to keep right. The charges stemmed from an incident Sept. 21.
Certo pleaded innocent and was released on his own recognizance. His trial is scheduled to begin in June.
March @, 2004
Delhi News Bureau
DELHI —
A Unadilla man who stole $28,348 in cash and $812 in merchandise from the Walton Dollar Store was sentenced to prison in Delaware County Court on Monday.
Jeremy J. Green, 30, pleaded guilty to third-degree grand larceny.
"I took the money out of the daily deposits for personal use," Green said. "I tried to make it up the following day, but it just kept snowballing."
Delaware County District Attorney Richard Northrup said Green stole the money and merchandise between May and October.
"What strikes me the most is not that someone in a position of trust stole money to support a gambling
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habit," Northrup said, "but that he lied on his job application, which enabled him to insert himself in a position of trust."
Northrup said Green had been fired from three previous jobs after he was caught stealing merchandise and money, but he failed to indicate that he had lost the jobs on his job application.
Michael Mendelson, who was appointed to defend Green, said Green readily admitted what he did was wrong, but Mendelson said Green's actions were dictated by his addiction.
"The ability to withstand the temptation to steal is beyond his control," Mendelson said.
Delaware County Judge Carl Becker said, "A gambling addiction explains the conduct, but it does not in any way excuse it. You could well have put that successful business under."
Becker sentenced Green to one to three years in prison and ordered restitution of $500 to cover the Walton Dollar Stores insurance deductible. He also issued an order of protection forbidding Green from entering the premises of the Walton Dollar Store.
In another case, Duane Hansen, 37, of Walton pleaded guilty to a second-degree course of conduct against a child for incidents involving a child under the age of 13. Hansen said he touched the intimate parts of the child for sexual gratification.
Northrup said the incidents occurred between 2000 and June 8.
Becker sentenced Hansen to 10 years' probation with the first six months in jail. He also issued an order of protection prohibiting Hansen from being around any school or facility for the treatment of children.
Hansen was classified as a Level One sex offender, and Becker ordered him to submit a blood sample for DNA testing.
Three driving-while-intoxicated cases were also heard in court:
• Michael P. Makara, 37, of Arkville pleaded guilty to DWI and first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. The charges stemmed from an incident in Middletown on July 26.
Makara was sentenced to five years' probation with four months of weekends in jail. He was fined $2,000, and his driver's license was revoked.
• Gregory Baron, 39, of Upper Saddle River, N.J., pleaded guilty to DWI, third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and failure to keep right. The charges stemmed from an accident in Franklin on June 9.
Baron was sentenced to five years of probation with 180 days of electronic monitoring or 90 days in jail. He was fined $1,500.
• Brian R. Certo, 40, of Delhi was charged with two counts of DWI and failure to keep right. The charges stemmed from an incident Sept. 21.
Certo pleaded innocent and was released on his own recognizance. His trial is scheduled to begin in June.
