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The woman accused of stealing thousands of dollars from the town of Fairfield will review a plea offer by the Herkimer County District Attorney’s office with her attorney before accepting or rejecting it.
Herkimer County Judge Patrick L. Kirk said “no consensus was reached” during discussions in his chambers with the Assistant District Attorney Jeff Carpenter and Attorney George Aney, who is representing Randi Matthews.
“There are so many counts involved and the proposal is somewhat complex, we wanted to have a chance to go over it with her before agreeing or disagreeing with it,” he said.
Aney also said it will take between three to five weeks to review the proposal. He said if it is accepted, the details of it will be made public. He said if it is rejected, the details will not be released and that the court will set a date for the defense to make motions and discovery demands, such as statements of evidence. Another date would be set to argue motions and to set a trial date.
Matthews, 42, appeared in Herkimer County Court wearing an orange jumpsuit with her hands cuffed during her pre-trial conference Tuesday morning. A grand jury two weeks ago handed up a 350 count indictment on charges of grand larceny, and numerous counts of forgery and tampering with public records. She pleaded not guilty to all charges.
County prosecutors brought the matter to a grand jury based on a five-month investigation by state police and findings of a state Comptroller’s Office audit of the town finances between 2004 and 2009. It is alleged that she stole about $378,000 from the town office between 2005 to 2009 while her husband Francis Matthews served as supervisor. Matthews had said her husband trusted her to handle the accounts because he was unfamiliar with how to use a computer.
During that time, she allegedly wrote and forged checks which she cashed to feed a gambling addiction. She is also accused of falsifying town reports and intercepting town mail sent to her husband in order to hide her theft.
Matthews has stated to state police investigators that she never officially held a position with the town, but handled most of its finances during her husband’s tenure as supervisor.
Kirk also denied a request during the pre-trial conference to reduce Matthews’ bail. She is currently being held in lieu of $50,000 cash or $100,000 bail bond. Aney had requested for that to be reduced to $10,000 cash or $20,000 bail bond.
“I don’t deem her to be a flight risk,” said Aney. The judge said he would consider an application for reduction in bail which Aney said they may produce in the next two to three weeks.
The woman accused of stealing thousands of dollars from the town of Fairfield will review a plea offer by the Herkimer County District Attorney’s office with her attorney before accepting or rejecting it.
Herkimer County Judge Patrick L. Kirk said “no consensus was reached” during discussions in his chambers with the Assistant District Attorney Jeff Carpenter and Attorney George Aney, who is representing Randi Matthews.
“There are so many counts involved and the proposal is somewhat complex, we wanted to have a chance to go over it with her before agreeing or disagreeing with it,” he said.
Aney also said it will take between three to five weeks to review the proposal. He said if it is accepted, the details of it will be made public. He said if it is rejected, the details will not be released and that the court will set a date for the defense to make motions and discovery demands, such as statements of evidence. Another date would be set to argue motions and to set a trial date.
Matthews, 42, appeared in Herkimer County Court wearing an orange jumpsuit with her hands cuffed during her pre-trial conference Tuesday morning. A grand jury two weeks ago handed up a 350 count indictment on charges of grand larceny, and numerous counts of forgery and tampering with public records. She pleaded not guilty to all charges.
County prosecutors brought the matter to a grand jury based on a five-month investigation by state police and findings of a state Comptroller’s Office audit of the town finances between 2004 and 2009. It is alleged that she stole about $378,000 from the town office between 2005 to 2009 while her husband Francis Matthews served as supervisor. Matthews had said her husband trusted her to handle the accounts because he was unfamiliar with how to use a computer.
During that time, she allegedly wrote and forged checks which she cashed to feed a gambling addiction. She is also accused of falsifying town reports and intercepting town mail sent to her husband in order to hide her theft.
Matthews has stated to state police investigators that she never officially held a position with the town, but handled most of its finances during her husband’s tenure as supervisor.
Kirk also denied a request during the pre-trial conference to reduce Matthews’ bail. She is currently being held in lieu of $50,000 cash or $100,000 bail bond. Aney had requested for that to be reduced to $10,000 cash or $20,000 bail bond.
“I don’t deem her to be a flight risk,” said Aney. The judge said he would consider an application for reduction in bail which Aney said they may produce in the next two to three weeks.
