Putnam Consumer Affairs Chief Resigns as Part of Guilty Plea
Jean Noel, Putnam County’s former Director of Consumer Affairs has stepped down from her post in light of a guilty plea in which she admitted to stealing more than $4,000 from local contractors that her department had the power to fine and license.
Noel, of Kent, pled guilty to petit larceny, a class A misdemeanor, in Carmel town court and agreed to terminate her employment with the county, pay restitution, and pay back part of her salary. She was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge. According to a joint investigation by the New York State Comptroller’s Office and New York State Attorney General’s Office, Noel stole $4,575 in cash payments made by contractors that were paying county-issued fines.
Noel has already repaid $4,3000 and owes another $275, the comptroller’s office asserted. According to court documents, Noel spared herself going to trial for felony grand larceny by cutting a deal.
An audit and investigation were started by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office in 2014. Noel was eventually arrested by New York State Police once the investigation concluded.
“As our audit and investigation revealed, Ms. Noel abused her position to steal fines paid to Putnam County,” said state Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. “Whenever we uncover fraud, we will work with law enforcement across the state to hold people accountable and recoup the public’s money. I thank the New York State Police and Attorney General Schneiderman for following up on our findings.”
In the complaint detailed by the AG’s office, before Noel came aboard, three secretaries handled all payments to the Consumer Affairs office and eventually transferred that money to the Department of Finance. After Noel took over in 2012, she assumed sole responsibly for maintaining and transferring funds, the complaint read.
Starting in 2012 and extending to 2014, there were numerous occasions listed by the AG’s office that indicated Noel would bring less than the necessary amount of money to the finance department. For instance, two contractors paid the department $500 each, but there was no record of the department receiving those funds, which were collected by Noel.
“Public service should never be about private gain,” said Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in a statement. “When public officials abuse their position for financial gain, there will be consequences. Since 2011, my office has successfully prosecuted dozens of officials and their cronies from both political parties and we will continue to fight to clean up state and local government.”
While Noel pled guilty, she hasn’t expressed much regret.
“I stand by my record of over 25 years of public service and the results achieved. I acquiesced to a plea after consulting counsel, solely to bring closure to a two year misdirected, malicious investigation fueled by disgruntled former employees” Noel said in statement. “In the end, I decided I would rather settle and pay $275 in restitution for missing funds and enjoy my life, family, and retirement than spend any more precious time and upwards of $75,000 battling state bureaucrats who were pursuing victory, certainly not justice.”
Her attorney, Robert Leader of Carmel, argued the only crime Noel admitted to was taking $275. While the comptroller’s press release stated she already paid back $4,300, Leader refuted that and said that money was found in the office and Noel never personally paid it back.
He said the brunt of the money in question was “misfiled and misplaced” in the office, claiming “much of the money was there, but not in the correct place.” He claims once the office staff searched for the missing funds, it was found.
Leader said Noel took the plea to avoid the financial and emotional toll of a trial. Leader said he believes the prosecution was “politically motivated” and taking the plea was the fastest resolution.
“All of the other money to make up that $4,300 had already been found in the office,” Leader said. “So that’s why the only money she had to put in was $275.”
But in that plea agreement, under oath, Noel admits, “I stole $4,575 from numerous local contractors and I further admit that I never provided those payments to the Putnam County Finance Department.”
Noel worked for the state for many years, starting when former governor and Garrison resident George Pataki was in office. She was appointed to her county position in 2012 by a 7-0 vote, with Legislators Dini LoBue and Roger Gross absent. Noel is also a fixture in the Town of Kent, previously serving as a town councilwoman for a term and previously serving on the planning board. She is also a member of the Kent Republican Committee.
This is just the latest bombshell to hit Putnam County government. Visitor’s Bureau Director Libby Pataki is under investigation by the AG’s Office for creating a second nonprofit that mirrors tourism and not having functional boards for either one. At least one county legislator has called for the former First Lady of the state to resign.
