A former Town of North Hempstead employee was arrested Monday for allegedly embezzling more than $98,000 from the town’s Solid Waste Management Authority, Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced.
Helen McCann, 51, of Roslyn Heights, was arraigned Monday in county District Court on charges of second-degree grand larceny and second-degree corrupting the government.
“For more than a year and a half the defendant allegedly stole money in increments from the Town of North Hempstead and amassed more than $98,000 in ill-gotten gains,” Singas said. “Breaching the public trust is a serious matter and I thank the Town for alerting us about the money missing from the Solid Waste Management Authority.”
McCann was conditionally released to probation, the DA’s office said, and is due back in court March 3.
She faces a maximum of 8 1-3 to 25 years in prison, if convicted.
“We brought this matter to the District Attorney as soon as we became aware of the discrepancies at the Solid Waste Management Authority,” North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth said. “We are cooperating fully and are confident that the DA will conduct a thorough investigation to see that justice is done. Any breach of public trust on the part of any town employee will not be tolerated.”
McCann began working for the town in 1998, the DA’s office said, and in January 2014 was transferred to the Solid Waste Management Authority to serve as an administrative assistant.
Employees who work at the Solid Waste Management Authority facility handle cash payments and garbage scale records, which they then bring to the authority’s administrative offices once collected.
The DA’s office said an administrative employee then deposits the cash into the authority’s Chase Bank account and sends a memo to the Town Comptroller’s office detailing the amount received and attaching bank deposit slips.
Beginning Jan. 26, 2014, the DA’s office said, McCann was responsible for receiving and depositing the money.
The Town Comptroller’s office notified the Solid Waste Management Authority about a decrease in revenue in mid-January.
Between May 11, 2014 and Jan. 11, 2016, it is alleged that McCann embezzled $98,862.91 from the Solid Waste Management Authority.
The town referred the situation to the DA’s office and on Jan. 21 an investigation was launched.
McCann was terminated as a town employee at the start of the investigation, the DA’s office said.
Assistant District Attorney Jesse Aviram of Singas’ Public Corruption Bureau is prosecuting the case.
