Wednesday, November 14, 2007

FRAUD CHARGES LAID AGAINST FORMER EMPLOYEE OF MINISTRY OF SOCIAL SERVICES

A JOINT INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED BY THE SAULT STE. MARIE POLICE SERVICE AND THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICES HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND AS A RESULT ON THE 14TH OF NOVEMBER AT 10:00 AM 48 YEAR-OLD SALVATORE CUGLIETTA OF 14 DONNA DRIVE WAS ARRESTED AT THE CITY POLICE STATION BY THE FRAUD UNIT AND CHARGED WITH ONE COUNT OF FRAUD OVER $5,000.00.

IT IS ALLEGED THAT THE ACCUSED, A FORMER EMPLOYEE FOR THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL SERVICES, DEFRAUDED THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL SERVICES OF APPROXIMATELY $585,413.83.00 ON OR BETWEEN OCTOBER 1994 THROUGH TO DECEMBER 2006. THE ALLEGED FRAUD WAS COMMITTED BY CREATING A FALSE CLIENT/CLAIM AND RECEIVING FICTITIOUS ONTARIO DISABILITY SUPPORT PROGRAM BENEFITS AND PAYMENTS TO THE FRAUDULENT FILE.

SALVATORE CUGLIETTA IS SCHEDULED TO APPEAR IN COURT ON MONDAY DECEMBER 17, 2007

The following two persons are to appear in bail court his morning:

1) 44 year-old Ronald Marini of 428 Second Line West was arrested on the 13th of November at 9:41 pm on Fifth Avenue and charged with one count of possession of property obtained by crime and one count of possession of housebreaking tools. It is alleged that on the 13th of November at approximately 9:38 pm officers stopped a blue Dodge van on Fifth Avenue that had stolen plates on it. When officers ran a check on the driver, the accused, they discovered he was wanted on an outstanding committal warrant from November of 2006. Officers located wire cutters, pliers, rubber gloves, screwdrivers and a tire iron inside the van. The plates had been reported stolen on the 12th of November from a vehicle that was parked at Classic Automotive on John Street from the 9th -12th of November.

2) 18 year-old Jordon Morrar was arrested on the 13th of November at 2:07 pm while in custody at the Algoma Treatment and Remand Centre on Great Northern Road on an outstanding warrant and charged with one count of fail to appear for prints from the 18th of September.

Youth Assaults Teacher

A 14 year-old male youth was arrested on the 13th of November at 10:05 am at a local high school and charged with one count of assault and one count of breach of probation under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. It is alleged that on the 5th of November the accused assaulted a teacher while at school by pushing him. At the time of the incident the accused was on probation with conditions to keep the peace and be of good behaviour. There were no injuries reported. The accused is to appear in court on the 18th of December.

Two Break & Enters

1) There was an attempt break and enter reported to a shed at the Parkland Child Care Site sometime over the past weekend. The door and a gate were damaged.

2) A log cabin on Creek Road has been broken into and severely damaged on Creek Road sometime during the past six months. The estimated amount of damage and theft is valued at approximately $10, 000.00. Windows and doors were stolen. There was a large hole put in the roof. Flooring and roofing was torn out and there was graffiti left on the cabin as well.
If anyone has any information regarding these incidents, please contact city police at 949-6300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

Motor Vehicle Collision

EDITOR'S NOTE: All charges against Christian Hutzan mentioned in this news release were subsequently withdrawn. Mr. Hutzan was represented in court by Jennifer Tremblay-Hall of the law firm Dunn Tremblay-Hall.

City police were called to a motor vehicle collision on the 13th of November at 4:42 pm on Second Line East near Great Northern Road that involved three vehicles and sent one person to hospital by ambulance for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. It is alleged that a Jeep that was westbound on Second Line East collided into a Pontiac Grand Am that was stopped waiting for a Dodge Caravan ahead of it that was stopped waiting for traffic to clear to make a turn into the Tim Horton’s driveway. When the Pontiac Grand Am was struck, it was pushed ahead resulting in it colliding into the Dodge Caravan that was being operated by a 24 year-old female. The 30 year-old female driver of the Pontiac Grand Am was the driver that was sent to hospital by ambulance. The Jeep and Grand Am received severe damage and the Dodge Caravan received minor damage.
The 17 year-old male driver of the Jeep, Christian Hutzan of 178 Parkland Crescent, was charged with one count of careless driving under the Highway Traffic Act.