3 Hudson Valley Residents Accused of Stealing Benefits

In three separate cases, three Hudson Valley residents are accuse of stealing a combined total of nearly $8,000 in benefits.

On Thursday, State Police charged 39-year-old Joseph R. Pitaro of East Durham with grand larceny, falsifying business records and offering a false instrument for filing, all felonies.

Pitaro fraudulently received over $4,700 worth of unemployment insurance benefits when he was gainfully employed, police say.

An investigation conducted by the Ulster County Department of Social Services Special Investigation Unit in conjunction with the Office of the Ulster County District Attorney discovered that Kerri DaSiliva of Kingston received $1,834 in SNAP benefits by not reporting income, officials say.

Jazmine Blackmon-Dabney, formerly of Glasco, is accused of illegally receiving $1,315 in temporary assistance benefits.

Blackmon-Dabney and DaSilva were both charged with welfare fraud and offering a false instrument for filing.

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