From the Ulster County District Attorney:
Ellenville residents, Melinda Baker, 51, Melissa Quick, 39, Paula Sciancalepore, 53, and Robin Shaver, 58, have each plead guilty to Criminal Use of a Public Benefit Card in the Second Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor.
These defendants were arrested as part of a Federal/State/Local joint task force investigation into a heroin distribution ring which operated in Ellenville. During the course of the investigation law enforcement learned that these individuals were cheating the food stamp system by selling their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, issued through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), for roughly 50 cents on the dollar and using the cash to purchase heroin.