Liberty, NY – The Sullivan County Welfare Fraud Task Force has made the following arrests:
- September 22, 2025 – Andrew D. Person, 39, of Canadensis, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged with Welfare Fraud in the 3rd Degree, a Class D felony, and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the 1st Degree, a Class E felony. It is alleged that between March 6 and October 31, 2020, Person was in receipt of Temporary Assistance Benefits issued by the Sullivan County Department of Social Services, but on a Temporary Assistance Application, Person failed to disclose that he was gainfully employed. Additionally, the said defendant began collecting Unemployment Insurance Benefits but did not report that to the Sullivan County Department of Social Services. The failure to report truthful and accurate information about his income and receiving Unemployment Insurance Benefits resulted in Person receiving $4,068.18 in Temporary Assistance Benefits to which he was not otherwise entitled. Person was arraigned in the Town of Liberty Court and released on his own recognizance pending a future court date in the Town of Liberty Court.
- September 26, 2025 – Francis T. Ramirez, 42, of Monticello, was arrested and charged with Welfare Fraud in the 3rd Degree, a Class D felony, and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the 1st Degree, a Class E felony. It is alleged that between July 1, 2022 and August 31, 2023 that Ramirez was in receipt of SNAP benefits issued by the Sullivan County Department of Social Services and during this same time period was gainfully employed. Additionally, Ramirez failed to disclose that her adult son was residing in her home and gainfully employed as well. It is also alleged that Ramirez filed a SNAP Periodic Report in 2022 and a SNAP Recertification in 2023 and failed to disclose her income, as well as her son’s income, on both forms. The failure to disclose truthful and accurate information about her income and her household composition with additional income in the home resulted in Ramirez receiving $3,683 in SNAP benefits to which she was not otherwise entitled. Ramirez was released pending a future court date in the Town of Liberty Court.
- October 10, 2025 – Tearia M. Reynolds, 30, of Poughkeepsie, was arrested and charged with Welfare Fraud in the 3rd Degree, a Class D felony, and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the 1st Degree, a Class E felony. It is alleged that between May 1 and December 31, 2023 that Reynolds was in receipt of SNAP benefits issued by the Sullivan County Department of Social Services while during this same time period, Reynolds was gainfully employed for a portion of the benefit period indicated and failed to disclose this employment on a SNAP Periodic/Recertification Report. It is also alleged that during the remainder of the benefit period, Reynolds found other employment and failed to report that income as well to the Sullivan County Department of Social Services. The failure to report truthful and accurate information about her income resulted in Reynolds receiving $3,884 in SNAP Benefits to which she was not otherwise entitled. Reynolds was released pending a future court date in the Town of Liberty Court.
- October 13, 2025 – Melissa A. Watson, 45, of Hurleyville, was arrested and charged with Grand Larceny in the 4th Degree, a Class E felony. It is alleged that between June 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023, that Watson was in receipt of SNAP benefits issued by the Sullivan County Department of Social Services and that during this same time period, Watson became gainfully employed and remained so until her case closed for excess income. The failure to disclose her income to the Sullivan County Department of Social Services resulted in Watson receiving $2,686 in SNAP benefits to which she was not otherwise entitled. Watson was released on an appearance ticket pending a future court date in the Town of Liberty Court.
