An Ulster County Grand Jury last week handed down a 44-count indictment against Saugerties Town Court Clerk Haley Whalen, 26, alleging, according to the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office, she “repeatedly tampered and falsified Saugerties town court records while she was a court clerk.”
Whalen, currently on leave without pay, was originally charged 13 months ago with eight felony and eight misdemeanor charges for allegedly using her access to dismiss traffic tickets of acquaintances. In a statement last year, the New York State Police detailed the charges against Whalen:
“On February 13, 2024, New York State Highland Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) arrested Haley Whalen, age 25 from Ulster Park, NY. For Falsify(ing) Business Records, 1st degree- 4 counts, Tampering with Public Records 1st degree- 4 counts, Official Misconduct- 4 counts, and Criminal Contempt- 4 counts,” read the statement. “An investigation revealed that Whalen, a court clerk with the Town of Saugerties Court, unofficially used her credentials to dismiss tickets on behalf of acquaintances. She was arraigned in front of Judge (Kelly) Flood-Myers and was remanded to Ulster County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash/ $20,000 bond/ $40,000 partially secured bond.”
At the time, state police confirmed that an investigation began on Tuesday, February 6 after which point Whalen was placed on administrative leave. Though she was working part-time at the time of her arrest, Whalen was hired as a full-time clerk of the court in 2021, and was still working in that capacity in October 2022 at the time of the alleged incidents. Last week, the grand jury further included incidents which are alleged to have taken place in May 2022 and September 2023.
According to a March 14 press release from the office of Ulster County DA Emmanuel C. Nneji, Whalen was charged in the indictment by the grand jury on Wednesday, March 12 and arraigned before visiting Sullivan County Judge James Farrell.
“This is an indictment, so she will have an opportunity with her lawyer to defend herself,” said Nneji in his office’s press release. “This indictment is about accountability and public confidence in public matters, the accuracy and sanctity of court and other official records. We must be able to trust that court records accurately reflect what happened in court and the transactions which those records purport to represent.”
The issue is being prosecuted by Deputy Chief ADA Paul Derohannesian and Assistant District Attorney Anna Thompson. Whalen is represented by Kingston-based attorney Thomas K. Petro.
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