Former Kingston Police detective lieutenant Tim Matthews pleaded guilty in Ulster County Court to two counts of felony second-degree grand larceny. The charges stem from allegations that he stole funds from the Kingston Police Department and the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office. Rensselaer County Court Judge Andrew Ceresia sentenced Matthews to three to nine years in state prison; Matthews was also ordered to pay $212,000 in restitution. Matthews’ attorney, Michael Kavanagh, said that the money would be paid directly from Matthews’ pension to an account held by Ulster County.
Matthews expressed regret for his deeds and said he deserved to go to jail after violating the public’s trust in him. His lawyer told Ceresia that the motive for the crime was not greed, but a desperation borne out of the financial pressure of having to support six kids. “He worked three jobs to make ends meet,” said Kavanagh, son of state Supreme Court Appellate Judge and former Ulster County district attorney Mike Kavanagh.
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