March 15, 1999

ROCKAWAY WOMAN CHARGED WITH STEALING $31,000 IN PUBLIC ASSISTANCE MONIES

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown joined by Human Resource Administration Commissioner Jason A. Turner announced today the arrest of a 26 year old Rockaway woman on charges of stealing $31,000 in public assistance monies by falsely certifying she was unemployed when in fact she worked as a pharmacy cashier in the Rockaways.

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Lakisha Payton of 438 Beach 40th Street in the Arverne section of the Rockaways. She is charged with grand larceny, falsifying business records and offering a false instrument for filing. She faces up to seven years in prison upon conviction.

According to District Attorney Brown, it is alleged that from November 22, 1993 to January 27, 1999, the defendant received public assistance payments totaling $31,000 by falsely certifying she was unemployed when, in fact, she was employed as a cashier at King's Super Pharmacy which is located at 88-07 Rockaway Beach Boulevard. She also falsified records submitted to the Agency for Child Development thereby receiving free child care.

The defendant was arrested today by Det. Buddy LaSala of the Queens District Attorney's Squad which is under the command of Captain Harold J. Knorr. The investigation leading to the arrest was conducted by investigators of HRA's Bureau of Fraud Investigation.

Assistant District Attorney Linda C. LaGreca of the District Attorney's Economic Crime Unit, which is under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michael J. Mansfield and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney Robert D. Alexander, is in charge of the case.

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

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