AUBURN, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — A Cayuga County woman was arrested after allegedly taking over $4,000 in food benefits unlawfully, as a local police agency takes a more aggressive strategy to tackle welfare fraud.
The Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that 32-year-old Ashley R. Armstead, of Auburn, was stopped by the Liverpool Police Department on June 23 and brought into custody on an outstanding arrest warrant out of Auburn City Court. The warrant was for:
- Third-degree grand larceny, a class D felony
- Third-degree welfare fraud, a class D felony
- First-degree offering a false instrument for filing, a class E felony
- Misuse of food stamps, a class E felony
Armstead was turned over to Cayuga County deputies, and she was taken for processing, the statement said. She was issued an appearance ticket and will appear in Auburn City Court at a later date.
The statement said these welfare fraud cases are investigated by the Cayuga County Department of Social Services Case Integrity Unit, with help from the sheriff’s office’s Criminal Investigation Division and the Cayuga County District Attorney’s Office…