A Waterbury woman who was accused of stealing thousands of dollars from a Hamden-based home health care business has been sentenced to three years of probation.
Last year, Hamden police charged Ashleigh Herring, now 34, with one count of first-degree larceny, claiming she stole from her former employer, Best Choice Home Health Care. The business offers in-home care to elderly and disabled area residents.
Herring pleaded guilty, and she was sentenced in Superior Court in Meriden in October. If Herring violates probation, she could face up to five years of imprisonment. She must also make restitution in the amount of $86,000.
Attorney Toni Volza Esposito, a public defender who represented Herring, declined to comment following the sentencing.
According to police and court documents, Herring was hired in January 2017 and worked at the company as a payroll supervisor.
Joyce Bellamy, the company’s owner, discovered the theft after reviewing payroll records, court documents show.
“I do feel that she should have paid a higher consequence for what she did,” Bellamy said. “This was a large amount of money.”
However, Bellamy noted that Herring is a mother to a young child, so she didn’t push for imprisonment.
“A child shouldn’t have to pay the price – I wanted restitution and for her to still be able to stay with her child,” Bellamy said.
Police alleged in an arrest warrant affidavit that Herring paid herself thousands of dollars via direct deposit for hours she never worked. She also fraudulently deposited thousands of dollars into her boyfriend’s bank account, according to police. Herring’s boyfriend, Anthony Washington, 44, worked at the company as a client companion.
There were multiple fraudulent payments over several months, with some transactions up to $3,000, police said. Bellamy told investigators Herring had stolen $68,307. When funds for workers compensation, Social Security and taxes are included, the total loss to the business was an estimated $86,000, according to the affidavit. Herring must pay the restitution in monthly installments.
Court and state documents show Washington, who has convictions related to charges in multiple jurisdictions, is serving a two-year sentence for violating probation.
Contact Michelle Tuccitto Sullo at msullo@newhavenbiz.com.
