Clerk admits stealing $27,000 from town

Will be sentenced to community service

Under a plea deal, Margaret Hart will be sentenced to 300 hours of community service at a food pantry.

Pleasant Valley Town Clerk Margaret Hart pleaded guilty to grand larceny on Wednesday, admitting in Dutchess County Court that she took more than $27,000 from the town’s coffers.

According to the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office, in exchange for her guilty plea and reimbursing the town, Hart will be sentenced to a three-year conditional discharge and 300 hours of community service at the Pleasant Valley Food Pantry. She also must resign.

In a press release, District Attorney William Grady said Hart admitted taking the money from funds she collected between 2012 and 2016 for such things as property taxes, marriage licences, hunting licenses and refuse tickets.

Hart, 57, was indicted in March on one felony count of grand larceny and two misdemeanor counts of official misconduct after an audit of the town’s books by the state Comptroller’s Office and an investigation by state police, sparked by suspicious of the Pleasant Valley supervisor.

“This prosecution would not have been possible were it not for Supervisor Mark Figliozzi, after becoming aware of suspicious activity, requesting an audit by the New York state comptroller, whose office then developed the investigation together with the New York state police,” Grady wrote.

Grady said his office recommended Hart be sentenced to five years probation in exchange for her guilty plea, however Westchester County Judge George Fufidio, sitting as acting Dutchess County judge, said he would sentence her to community service and a conditional discharge.

Hart is to be sentenced on Aug. 22.