August 15, 2014
By Stephanie West
Margaret Bailey, the former clerk-treasurer of the now-dissolved village of Altmar in Oswego County, was sentenced to 2 to 6 years in state prison after pleading guilty to stealing $117,000 in public funds. Bailey was charged in March with grand larceny in the second degree (class C felony) and falsifying business records in the first degree (class E felony).
Her arrest was the result of an audit and investigation by the NYS Comptroller which uncovered a brazen pattern of embezzlement in which she pocketed taxpayer funds over a five-year period. As part of her plea agreement, Bailey must pay full restitution.
“Fleecing your community and your neighbors for five years is appalling,” said DiNapoli. “Thankfully, this former official is heading to prison for her actions and will serve as an example of what happens when you engage in fraud and misuse public funds. When my office finds fraud, we are working with law enforcement to act swiftly to punish those who abuse the public’s trust. I want to thank our partners in law enforcement, District Attorney Oakes and the State Police, for their diligence and Albion town officials for acting appropriately when the fraud was discovered. Their efforts were instrumental in bringing this individual to justice.”
DiNapoli’s audits and investigations have led to more than 50 arrests and $7 million in restitution in 2013 and 2014 alone.
