State Police charge East Durham man with unlawfully collecting unemployment benefits

Philmont, New York – On July 20, 2017, the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation from Livingston arrested Joseph R. Pitaro, age 39, of East Durham, New York, for Grand Larceny in the 3^rd Degree, a Class D Felony, Falsifying Business Records 1^stDegree, a Class E Felony, and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the 1^st Degree, a Class E Felony.

An investigation revealed that between June of 2016 and September of 2016, while residing in Philmont, Pitaro fraudulently received over $4,700 worth of unemployment insurance benefits when he was gainfully employed.

The New York State Police were assisted by the New York State Department of Labor.

Pitaro was arraigned in the Town of Livingston Court and remanded to the Columbia County Jail in lieu of $1500 cash bail or $2500 bond.  The defendant was directed to reappear in the Livingston Court on July 27, 2017 at 7:00 p.m.