(Information provided by the Wyoming County District Attorney’s Office)
In 2021, Paul Mioducki, 44, of Bennington, was indicted on 12 counts for forgery and 1 count of grand larceny 3rd degree. The charges stem from Mioducki stealing from his parents.
On December 16, 2021, he pleaded guilty to grand larceny in 3rd degree, a class D felony and was placed on 1 year of interim probation. He agreed to pay back restitution during that time in the amount of $16,935.
On June 17, 2022, Mioducki was arraigned on a violation of interim probation warrant and held without bail for failing to report, using drugs and failing to engage in treatment. In addition, while he was serving out his interim probation it was discovered Mioducki not only continued to steal from his parents but had accelerated his stealing exponentially. He was arrested on new charges on July 11, 2022 and again violated his interim probation based upon the new arrest. On September 26, 2022, he admitted violating his interim probation and sentencing on the original grand larceny 3rd charge was adjourned to January 5, 2023. Sentencing was within the discretion of the court. The maximum sentence was 2 1/3 – 7 on the original charge.
On October 18, 2022, Mioducki was indicted on the new charges from July 2022. The allegations were that he continued to steal from his parents and that theft reached tens of thousands of dollars.
On December 15, 2022, the defendant pleaded guilty to the additional charge of grand larceny 3rd degree with the court committing 2-6 years in prison to run concurrent to a 2–6-year term on the original charge. He admitted to stealing an additional $41,408.58. Both amounts are to be repaid as part of this sentencing.
On January 5, 2023, Mioducki was sentenced to 2-6 years on each grand larceny 3rd conviction, all are concurrent with each other. The court made a strong recommendation that he receive the Shock Incarceration program. The People strongly objected to that recommendation due to the fact that the defendant continued to steal from his parents while under the supervision of the court. He was ordered to pay restitution in the amounts listed above. An order of protection was issued.
“This case underscores how vulnerable our seniors are especially when it is one of their own sons or daughters who betray their trust. Under the guise of going out and getting weekly groceries with his parent’s debit card, Paul Mioducki set out a plan to bilk his parents out of over $55,000 over the course of less than 6 months. All made possible with the use of a debit card, gift cards, online apps and an illicit underground market for gift cards. It is hopeful that more sentences like these will not only bring justice to the victims in these types of cases but also sent a message that hurting our seniors either physically or financially will not be taken lightly. These cases endanger the physical welfare of our most vulnerable because they take away their limited resources. The narrative that these are just “economic crimes”, or “non-violent crimes” needs to stop. More needs to be done to protect our seniors from scams from not only from strangers but also the menace that lurks within the family. Justice was accomplished in this case because of the outstanding work of Investigator Brad McGinnis of the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Office and Domestic Violence Advocated Breanna Crane. It is dedicated and caring individuals like this that truly give me hope that we can protect our seniors,“ said Wyoming County District Attorney Donald O’Geen.