Suffolk Reporter

Desiree Etheridge, 50, the former facility manager at Eden II in Saint James, has been sentenced to one to three years in prison after pleading guilty to Grand Larceny in the Third Degree. Etheridge was found guilty of stealing funds from the ATM cards of six residents with autism spectrum disorder, who had entrusted her with their cards for petty cash purposes.

"This defendant exploited her position in order to steal money from residents’ bank accounts, leaving them financially devastated," said District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney. "Prison is appropriate for any such calculated abuse of power against some of our most vulnerable members of the community."

Court documents and Etheridge’s admissions during her guilty plea allocution revealed that from November 2018 to June 2021, she stole funds while working as a residential manager at Eden II. Etheridge had control and access to the six residents' bank accounts and debit cards. One of her responsibilities was withdrawing money for each resident's petty cash envelope so they could go on outings. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Etheridge depleted their bank accounts.

Etheridge was arrested on August 12, 2022, after voluntarily surrendering to law enforcement. She pleaded guilty on July 29, 2024, before Acting Supreme Court Justice Richard I. Horowitz.

On August 29, 2024, Justice Horowitz sentenced Etheridge to one to three years in prison. She was represented by Jason Russo, Esq.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Milito of the Financial Crimes Bureau and investigated by Detective James Castaldo of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Fourth Squad.

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