ULSTER COUNTY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — A former Ulster County Finance Director pleaded guilty to two counts of grand larceny on Tuesday, stealing over $95,000 from a not-for-profit children’s summer camp, according to the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office. Burton Gulnick, Jr., will be sentenced in January 2024.

Following a lengthy investigation by New York State Police, Gulnick was arrested in June in connection to thefts from the Hurley Recreation Center (Hurley Rec). Hurley Rec is a not-for-profit organization that provides summer activities and programs for families, including a children’s summer camp.

According to the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office (UCDA), Gulnick was the former treasurer of Hurley Rec, which suffered losses of over $95,000 and disruptions to children’s programs and activities. Police also found Gulnick stole thousands of dollars from an election campaign bank account belonging to former Ulster County Executive Michael Hein.

Law enforcement says Gulnick used his position of trust to steal money from both entities for personal use. He manipulated account records from Hurley Rec to hide his theft.

With his guilty plea, Gulnick is required to pay $35,000 restitution to Hurley Rec and $15,000 to the Hein Campaign, waive his appellate rights, pay applicable fines, and surcharges, and serve a prison sentence of one to three years in a state correctional facility. The UCDA says Gulnick is also under investigation by the New York State and Ulster County Comptroller’s Offices for different matters.

“Gulnick’s conduct is most disappointing, especially given the public trust in him, and that he stole from an organization dedicated to children, particularly at a time when children were coming out of being homebound for a lengthy period of time as a result of the pandemic,” said Chief Assistant District Attorney Emmanuel Nneji.