Bronx DA: Former Executive Director Of Baychester Youth Council Sentenced For Stealing Federal Funds

FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BAYCHESTER YOUTH COUNCIL SENTENCED FOR STEALING FEDERAL FUNDS

Earnestine Russell Stole Thousands of Dollars Meant For Middle-School Children

 

           Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that Earnestine Russell, a former, longtime director of a Bronx youth group, has been sentenced after pleading guilty to Grand Larceny.

 

          District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant stole money that was meant to support after-school programs for middle school children in our Bronx community. The defendant, who led the Baychester Youth Council since the 1980s, has now been held accountable for her actions.”

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said, “Earnestine Russell took public money intended to give children a safe and nurturing place to go after school, but spent it on personal trips and electronic equipment for herself. I thank Bronx County District Attorney Clark for working with us to hold Ms. Russell accountable.”

 

District Attorney Clark said that Russell, 69, of 1930 Schieffelin Avenue, pleaded guilty today to third-degree Grand Larceny and was sentenced by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Robert Neary to one year in jail with a $61,098.00 order of restitution by civil judgment. The defendant also waived her right to appeal.

 

According to the investigation by the Bronx District Attorney’s Office and the State Comptroller’s Office, Russell stole money from a federally funded grant administered by the New York State Education Department between December 19, 2009 and July 7, 2011.

 

          The case was prosecuted by Senior Investigative Assistant District Attorney Ronald Sannicandro of the Investigations Division and Assistant District Attorney Joshua Satter of the Economic Crimes Bureau under the supervision of Richard Kearney, Deputy Chief of the Economic Crimes Bureau, and William Zelenka, Chief of the Economic Crimes Bureau, and the overall supervision of Tarek Rahman, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and Jean T. Walsh, Chief of the Investigations Division. District Attorney Clark thanked Comptroller DiNapoli’s Division of Investigations and Bureau of State Expenditures, and the New York State Police.