Shaddock

MONTICELLO – The former administrative assistant to the director of the Sullivan County Department of Probation was sentenced on Thursday to one to three years in state prison on her conviction of felony grand larceny in the third degree.

Leigh Shaddock, 41, of Liberty admitted stealing over $16,000 from the probation department over the course of a nine month period from September 2009 through June 2010.

“This individual was a public servant, in a position of trust and authority, in our county probation department, a law enforcement agency,” District Attorney James Farrell said. “She was trusted by the director and she betrayed that trust by repeatedly stealing and falsifying the records to cover up her thefts.”

The money was stolen from the probation restitution account, which is set up to reimburse the victims of crime, and the department’s DWI and administrative account. She was ordered to pay back the money.

Shaddock falsified the department’s records to cover up her thefts, but the scheme was uncovered when an alert probation officer discovered a problem with the restitution account and reported the findings to then Director Thomas Fogarty.

Shaddock was arrested after an investigation by the State Police BCI and District Attorney’s Office. The county’s audit department also aided in the prosecution of the case. Assistant DA Rob Zangla prosecuted the case.

Farrell warned that when public servants break the law and steal large amounts of money, “they must be held responsible.”