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Suffern Funeral Home Director Pleads Guilty to Multiple Charges, Will Pay Restitution & Jail Time

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4 years ago

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SUFFERN, NY – SUFFERN FUNERAL HOME DIRECTOR PLEADS GUILTY TO MULTIPLE CHARGES IN CONNECTION WITH DEFRAUDING CUSTOMERS – Funds Set Aside for Victims

Rockland County District Attorney Tom Walsh announced the plea of guilty by Scarr Funeral Home owner Leonard Scarr to two counts of grand larceny in the third degree, forgery in the second degree, and scheme to defraud. A thorough investigation by the Ramapo Police Department and the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office identified 90 victims with an aggregate loss of $531,017.

Leonard Scarr, 54, of Upper Saddle River, NJ, appeared before Hon. Larry J Schwartz on July 27, 2021 to enter his plea of guilty. In doing so, Scarr admitted to stealing in excess of $3,000 from two victims. Specifically, for the first victim, after contracting with him to set up a prepaid burial account, Scarr deposited the victim’s money into an interest bearing account. Regarding this account, Scarr could only access the account’s funds upon the death of the victim account holder. In order to obtain the funds, Scarr instead forged a death certificate in the victim’s name, presented the forged death certificate to representatives of the bank where the burial escrow account was held, withdrew the funds from the account, and used them for various personal expenses without any permission or authority. At the time of the withdrawal and as of today, the account holder was still alive.

Last fall, in an effort to ensure that all the victims will be fully reimbursed, the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, as Plaintiff-Claiming Authority, filed a civil forfeiture action in the Rockland County Supreme Court seeking forfeiture from Leonard Scarr’s property and proceeds from the sale of the Scarr Funeral Home.

In exchange for Scarr’s pleas of guilty, Judge Schwartz promised to sentence Scarr to an indeterminate term of two to six years in state prison with full restitution in the amount of $531,071.37, as recommended by the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office.

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Crime

Ramapo Police Arrest Two in Violent Robbery, Extortion Investigation

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20 hours ago

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June 21, 2025

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Ramapo, NY — Following a detailed investigation, Ramapo Police have arrested two 19-year-old males—one from Flushing, NY, and one from Monsey, NY—in connection with multiple violent crimes. The suspects face a wide range of charges, including robbery, extortion, grand larceny, coercion, and multiple hate crimes.

Investigators say the suspects lured victims via a dating app to a children’s park in Wesley Hills, where they brandished weapons, assaulted victims, and stole personal property.

Thanks to coordinated efforts between patrol officers and detectives, the suspects were apprehended and arraigned in Wesley Hills Court. Judge Schnelwar set bail at $50,000 cash, $100,000 secured bond, or $200,000 unsecured bond for each defendant. Both are currently held at the Rockland County Jail.

Ramapo Police remain committed to holding those accountable who commit violent crimes and ensuring the safety of our community. Police believe there may be additional victims. Anyone with information is urged to contact Detectives Murphy or Quinn at (845) 357-2400.

Note: All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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Crime

High-Speed Pursuit Ends in Stony Point After Teen Driver Crashes Into School Bus, Drives Through Yards

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3 days ago

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June 19, 2025

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Stony Point, NY — A dramatic multi-agency police pursuit involving a juvenile driver came to a close in Stony Point on Tuesday, June 17, after the suspect vehicle struck a school bus and sped through residential yards before becoming disabled on large rocks. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

The incident began around 3:30 PM when the Clarkstown Police Department notified the Stony Point Police Department of a vehicle involved in a road rage incident in Clarkstown. The vehicle, which had ties to an address in Stony Point, was quickly located by local patrol units near the Palisades Interstate Parkway (PIP) Exit 15, close to Route 210 and Willow Grove Road.

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When officers attempted to stop the vehicle using emergency lights, the driver reversed into an occupied school bus on the ramp. The vehicle then fled onto Route 210, back onto the PIP southbound, and then into the northbound lanes, before exiting again at Willow Grove Road. The driver continued to evade multiple marked police vehicles, weaving through town streets and plowing through several residential yards, causing minor property damage along the way.

The chase ended when the suspect vehicle became stuck on large rocks, rendering it immobile. Officers from Stony Point PD, assisted by detectives and multiple outside agencies, quickly apprehended the juvenile driver and passenger without incident.

The juvenile driver was processed at the Stony Point Police Station and later turned over to the Clarkstown Police Department to face more serious charges stemming from the original road rage incident.

The pursuit prompted a significant law enforcement response, including support from the New York State Police, New York State Park Police, Haverstraw Police Department, and the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities expressed relief that no injuries occurred to civilians, officers, or the suspects. The incident remains under investigation by multiple jurisdictions.

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