NY halfway house official stole residents’ food stamps

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A director of a halfway house in New York’s Capital Region has admitted stealing residents’ food stamps to buy himself nearly $10,000 in groceries over almost two years.

State Inspector General Letizia Tagliafierro announced Thursday that Elwood Powell pleaded guilty to grand larceny.

Tagliafierro and Rensselaer County District Attorney Mary Pat Donnelly say Powell is to be sentenced to six months in jail. He’ll also have to repay $9,200.

The officials say Powell diverted food stamp benefit cards from 46 residents of 820 River Street Inc. in Troy. He was a program director for the addiction-recovery facility.

The officials say the residents’ benefits were supposed to go to the facility’s account to subsidize their meal costs, but the 55-year-old Powell instead used the cards to buy groceries for himself.