Meals on Wheels figure agrees to restitution
Turning over a check for $8,000, a former executive director of Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda Meals on Wheels agreed Wednesday to repay a total of $31,569.34 that she stole from the organization.
Jean M. Bennett, 39, of Buffalo, dabbed away tears and spoke in a hushed voice when she appeared before Erie County Judge Sheila A. DiTullio for sentencing. “I’m very sorry,” Bennett said.
Starting next month, Bennett must repay $200 a month to Meals on Wheels, plus a monthly surcharge of about $20 to the Department of Probation. DiTullio also sentenced Bennett to five years’ probation.
“You seem very remorseful,” the judge told Bennett. “Eight thousand dollars is a good start.”
The board of directors of the independent, nonprofit organization contacted Town of Tonawanda police a little more than a year ago, after noticing inappropriate credit card charges. Bennett’s access to money was cut off as police investigated.
Police said Bennett used the organization’s credit card to buy a home theater sound system, charge restaurant meals and send flowers to a friend, among other things, during a period of several years. On Jan. 28, Bennett pleaded guilty to a felony charge of attempted third-degree grand larceny.
Defense attorney James P. Harrington painted a sympathetic picture of his client.
“She’s a 39-year-old woman whose life has now been turned upside down. Emotionally, she’s a wreck,” Harrington said.
Bennett found another job after leaving Meals on Wheels earlier this year, Harrington said, and had told her new employer about her circumstances.
Things were going well until town police issued a news release about the case last month, he said. “Miss Bennett’s employer discharged her [as a result] of that,” Harrington said.
Mary Nixon, president of the organization’s board of directors, attended Wednesday’s sentencing.
“I am very happy with the judgment. I think it was fair,” Nixon said.
Nixon said she accepted Bennett’s apology, and is glad that Bennett expressed remorse and will pay restitution.
“We have been impacted financially. The restitution will help that,” Nixon said.
“We [were] not looking for Jean to serve jail time — we never asked that,” Nixon said. “I think she’s been punished enough.”
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