SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y. — Desiree Etheridge, 50, the former manager of the Eden II residential facility in Saint James, was sentenced to one to three years in prison for stealing funds from residents under her care, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced today. Etheridge pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Third Degree after exploiting her position to deplete the bank accounts of six residents with autism spectrum disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This defendant exploited her position in order to steal money from residents’ bank accounts, leaving them financially devastated,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Prison is appropriate for any such calculated abuse of power against some of our most vulnerable members of the community.”
According to court records, Etheridge admitted to stealing funds from the residents’ ATM cards between November 2018 and June 2021. As the facility’s manager, she had access to their bank accounts and was responsible for withdrawing petty cash for outings. However, Etheridge used the opportunity to deplete their accounts during the pandemic.
Etheridge surrendered to law enforcement and was arrested on August 12, 2022.
