August 11, 2000

ST. ALBANS HOME AIDE ACCUSED OF STEALING OVER $120,000 FROM 98 YEAR OLD NEIGHBOR

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today the arrest of a home aide on charges of stealing over $120,000 from a 98 year old St. Albans neighbor for whom she worked.

District Attorney Brown said, "Crimes against the elderly - - whether they involve physical or, as in this case, financial harm - - are deplorable".

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Vonney Johnson, 59, of 189-39 113th Road. She is charged with Grand Larceny, forgery and criminal possession of a forged instrument. She was arrested yesterday by members of the District Attorney's Detective Bureau and will be arraigned later today in Queens Criminal Court. She faces up to 15 years in prison upon conviction.

According to the charges from December 17, 1999 until July 26, 2000, the defendant stole 29 checks from her elderly neighbor, Edna McWilliams, made the checks payable to herself and forged Ms. McWilliams' signature on the checks. She then allegedly deposited the checks to her own bank account and used the money for her own purposes. In addition, it is alleged that she also made checks to a third party, forged Mrs. McWilliams signature, deposited the checks to the third party's account and subsequently withdrew the money.

Assistant District Attorney Dianna Megias of District Attorney Brown's Economic Crime Bureau, which is under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Brian J. Mich and Assistant District Attorney John R. Mechmann and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney Peter A. Crusco, is in charge of the case. Julie Rosenberg, a social worker in District Attorney Brown's Elder Abuse Unit assisted in the investigation.

The investigation was conducted by Dets. Evelyn Alegre and Michael Giacobello under the supervision of Lt. Robert Burke both of the District Attorney's Detective Bureau which is under the command of Chief Edward T. Brady and Deputy Chief Lawrence Festa.

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