Two Mortuary Techs Busted For Thefts
Posted on Thursday, 29 of October , 2009 at 9:23 pm
NEW YORK—Two mortuary technicians with the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner have been arrested for theft in separate cases.
Shadaaqua Bey has been arrested on charges of fraudulently obtaining approximately $32,525 in Section 8 benefits from the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
The NYC Department of Investigation began its investigation after it was notified by HPD about irregularities in the defendant’s application. The office of Preet Bharara, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, is prosecuting this case.
Earlier this month, another mortuary technician, Dena Edwards, was arrested and charged with stealing $460 from a reported death scene. Edwards’ arrest on Oct. 7 resulted from an integrity test that DOI conducted jointly with the New York City Police Department Internal Affairs Bureau. DOI opened the investigation after receiving complaints that money and other items were missing from death scenes. The office of Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes is prosecuting this case.
The following are summaries of the two cases:
Bey, 41, of the Bronx, is charged in a federal complaint with theft of public funds. A conviction on this federal charge can result in a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. The federally funded Section 8 program serves people with low incomes who are eligible for rental assistance. HPD administers the Section 8 program for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”).
Bey has been employed at OCME since December 2003 and receives an annual salary of approximately $37,632.
According to the criminal complaint, Bey resided in a Bronx apartment, received Section 8 rent subsidies paid to her landlord, and was required to recertify her income annually to maintain her eligibility.
DOI’S investigation found that between October 2004 and March 2008, Bey concealed her City employment and income and instead submitted fraudulent recertification records reporting that she was employed at a private company receiving $200 a week and a fraudulent letter on a purported City letterhead falsely stating that her City employment had been terminated in October 2004. As a result of these misrepresentations, Bey illegally obtained approximately $32,525 in Section 8 subsidies, according to the DOI.
Edwards, 48, of Brooklyn, is charged with fifth degree criminal possession of stolen property and petit larceny, both class A misdemeanors. Upon conviction, a class A misdemeanor is punishable by up to a year’s incarceration.
DOI conducted an investigation with IAB, in which Edwards was allegedly observed taking money while inside a Brooklyn residence where she was assigned to recover possible human remains. Immediately after Edwards left the building, investigators arrested her and recovered from her $460 that the investigators had placed in the residence.
Edwards has been a mortuary technician with OCME since April 2007 and receives an annual salary of approximately $37,632. As a result of her arrest, she was suspended and faces disciplinary action. 10-29-09
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Category: Courts, Crime, Government
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