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Mrs. Westchester Charged With Stealing From Group Home

This story has been updated.

Jennifer Czarniecki, Mrs. Westchester 2014, was arrested and charged with petty larceny.

Jennifer Czarniecki, Mrs. Westchester 2014, was arrested and charged with petty larceny.

Photo Credit: File Photo

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- Jennifer Czarniecki, a Mohegan Lake resident who was crowned Mrs. Westchester in January, was arrested and charged with stealing from the group home where she worked, according to Investigator John Rodriguez of the New York State Police. 

Czarniecki was charged with petty larceny and falsifying business records, both Class A misdemeanors, for actions at Living Resources Corporation, a group home for intellectual disabilities, located at 186 Mahopac Ave. in Granite Springs, police said.

Czarniecki told Daily Voice on Monday night she disputes the claims and details provided by state police, but would not comment further.

At Living Resources, Czarniecki was residential head manager. In her role, Czarniecki kept track of the spending money the residents were given, according to officials.

Czarniecki's supervisor noticed there was $2,000 unaccounted for in the July 2014 ledger and questioned her about a Shop Rite charge of $215.60 made on a Living Residences credit card, according to Rodriguez. 

Czarniecki admitted to using the credit card to buy groceries and was fired, Rodriguez said. Czarniecki allegedly attempted to make up for the amount of unaccounted money from the ledger by submitting receipts from personal expenses, claiming that they were purchases made by the disabled residents of the home, Rodriguez said.

According to Rodriguez, Czarniecki  attached receipts for credit card purchases, which no residents possess. Some of the receipts also had Czaniecki's name, and for dates and times that the resident would not have been out of the facility making purchases, the officer added.

Police questioned her a few weeks ago and Czarniecki admitted to using the credit card for personal use at Shop Rite, but said she declined to elaborate on the missing $2,199, police said.

"When presented with the fact that several of the receipts showed her name and credit card information she became visibly upset and ended the interview, requesting her lawyer," Rodriguez said. 

When Czarniecki was named Mrs. Westchester, she told Daily Voice she wanted to use her title to advocate for people with intellectual disabilities. 

"That really stood out to me," Rodriguez said.

On Sept. 12 she announced on her Facebook page she would not be competing in the 2015 pageant for personal reasons. 

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