A former treasurer of the Vernon Center Fire Department will serve up to three years in state prison for stealing more than $300,000 from the volunteer organization, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced Tuesday.
Jonnell Rose, 52, pled guilty in August to grand larceny in the second degree, admitting he siphoned off $309,000 from the department over a six-year period, from May 2018 to May 2024. He was sentenced in Oneida County Court on October 28 by Judge Michael R. Nolan and was also ordered to pay full restitution.
Instead of protecting public funds, Rose used his position to enrich himself, according to investigators. He wrote checks from the fire department’s accounts to himself and diverted checks meant for vendors into his personal bank account.
“This crime was a serious betrayal of the public’s trust,” DiNapoli said. “Instead of serving his department, Jonnell Rose chose to serve himself.”
Oneida County District Attorney Todd Carville said Rose’s actions harmed not just the department, but the entire Vernon Center community.
“The defendant was placed in a position of trust, and he violated that trust,” Carville said. “Thanks to the hard work of the State Police, the Comptroller’s Office, and ADA Paul Kelly, justice was served.”
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James emphasized that public service must be rooted in integrity. “When that trust is violated, it undermines the safety and confidence of an entire community,” he said.
The case is part of DiNapoli’s broader effort to root out fraud and financial abuse involving public funds. Since taking office in 2007, the Comptroller has pushed for greater transparency and accountability at all levels of government.
Anyone with knowledge of fraud involving taxpayer dollars is urged to contact the State Comptroller’s Fraud Hotline at 1-888-672-4555 or email [email protected].
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