Crime

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

Published

3 years ago

August 8, 2021

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.

Crime

HPD Announce Arrest Of A Staten Island Man For Burglary Of Pomona Business

Published

2 weeks ago

November 9, 2024

Rockland Report Admin

The Haverstraw Police Department announces the arrest of Jeffrey Reader (33) of Staten Island, New York in connection with a burglary of a Pomona business that occurred in March 2024.

Reader was located and arrested yesterday in Staten Island by the Haverstraw Police Department and transported back to Rockland County where he is charged with Burglary 3rd degree (Class D Felony), Criminal Mischief 4th degree (Class A Misdemeanor) and Petit Larceny (Class A Misdemeanor). Reader was arraigned last evening and remanded into custody of the Rockland County Correctional Facility.

It should be noted that a criminal complaint is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Crime

Haverstraw Man Sentenced To State Prison Following Jury Trial Conviction On Felony Sexual Abuse Charge

Published

3 weeks ago

November 1, 2024

Rockland Report Admin

Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II announced today that Elmer Oviedo Sandoval, 47 of Haverstraw, New York was sentenced to six years in state prison following an August 8, 2024, conviction after a Rockland County jury trial on one count of Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the Second Degree (Class D Felony).

From 2016 to 2019, beginning when the victim was nine years old, the defendant subjected her to sexual contact on multiple occasions while she resided in two separate residences within the Town of Ramapo. In 2023, when the victim 16 years old, disclosed the previous abuse by the defendant to her mother and it was reported to the Ramapo Police Department.

District Attorney Tom Walsh said, “Sexual abuse of a minor is a heinous crime, leaving victims with lasting physical, emotional, and psychological effects. I admire the courage of the victim in this case who bravely came forward to tell her story. I commend the thorough and professional prosecution by the Assistant District Attorneys and investigation by the Ramapo Police Department working with the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office Special Victims. My Office will continue to work tirelessly to protect and keep innocent children in our community safe.”

On October 29, 2024, the defendant was sentenced by Judge Anne Bianchi to six years in state prison followed by ten years of post-release supervision. Once the defendant is released from prison, he will be required to register as a Sex Offender.

The investigation was conducted by the Town of Ramapo Police Department with assistance from the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office Special Victims Unit. Supervising Assistant District Attorney Gerard M. Damiani III and Senior Assistant District Attorney Kaitlin Deluca prosecuted the case.