Town of Milton Supervisor's wife pleads guilty to attempted grand larceny

As of Thursday, August 25, 2011 -12:16 p.m.

Saratoga — Deborah Thompson, wife of Milton Supervisor Frank Thompson, pleaded guilty to attempted grand larceny in the third degree, a class E felony, in Saratoga County Court on Wednesday, Aug. 23, according to information from Fulton County District Attorney Louise K. Sira's office, the special prosecutor assigned to the case.

Thompson, of 71 Thompson Ave. in Ballston Spa, admitted to stealing nearly $30,000 from a victim, now a resident of Maplewood Manor, the Saratoga County Nursing Home, according to information from Sira's office. Thompson will pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $29,259 at sentencing on Nov. 16 ($225 bank fees, $11,112 ATM withdrawals and credit card purchases, $17,992 gambling proceeds) according to information from Sira's office.

Thompson met the victim through Thompson’s employment at the Wilbur Trieble Apartments in the Town of Milton where the victim had been a resident prior to moving to the Maplewood Manor facility and had been appointed guardian of the victim's person and property on Oct. 23, 2009, according to information from Sira's office.

Shortly following her appointment as guardian, Thompson, without the victim’s permission, began to write checks to herself, pay herself for taking care of the victim's financial accounts and to use the victim’s credit card to pay her own personal expenses including dinners, gas, vehicle repairs, Great Escape season passes, and cash to gamble at Turning Stone and Foxwoods Casinos, etc., according to information from Sira's office.

An employee at the victim’s bank, who noticed the unusual and frequent transactions, notified administrators at the Wilbur Trieble Apartments and also reported the suspicious activity to the New York State Police, according to Sira's office.

Sira was appointed as a special prosecutor as Saratoga County District Attorney James A. Murphy, III recused himself in that Supervisor Frank Thompson, the defendant’s husband is the Chairman of the County’s Law and Finance Committee and therefore has direct control over the DA’s budget and personnel and decisions. In order to avoid a conflict of interest, ethics laws require the DA to request a judge to appoint a special prosecutor.

Spotlightnews.com