Former Hampton Bays School Board Member Pleads Guilty For Looting Scholarship Fund

A former Hampton Bays Board of Education member pleaded guilty Friday to second-degree grand larceny, a felony, for stealing nearly $55,000 from a scholarship fund that he helped create more than a decade earlier to honor the memory of his best friend, who was killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.Warren Booth III, a lifelong resident of Hampton Bays who is employed by the Hampton Bays Water District, took a plea deal on Friday when he was called to the stand at Suffolk County Criminal Court in Riverhead just before 11:40 a.m. by Judge Stephen Braslow. During the proceeding, Mr. Booth admitted to stealing the funds from his friend’s 9/11 scholarship account over several years.Mr. Booth, who lost his bid for a third three-year term on the Board of Education in May 2015, started stealing cash from the scholarship fund in August 2010, while he was an active member of the board, according to authorities. What Mr. Booth did with the money was never discussed or disclosed in court, and he declined to be interviewed after accepting the plea deal.Mr. Booth removed approximately $55,000 from the Arthur J. Jones Scholarship Fund, which is not controlled by the school district, over several years while serving as administrator of the account, according to accusatory documents obtained by The Press at the time of his arrest in December. The same document notes that Mr. Booth, one of two maintenance crew leaders employed by the Hampton Bays Water District, told Southampton Town Police detectives that he stole the money because he was having financial difficulties. As part of his plea deal, Mr. Booth must repay the nearly $55,000 he had stolen from the Arthur J. Jones Scholarship Fund, and also complete 840 hours of community service. He will remain on probation for a year as well.The terms of his community service have not yet been decided. Mr. Booth is a volunteer with the Hampton Bays Fire Department.If he lives up to the requirements of the plea deal, and stays out trouble with the law, the felony charge is expected to be knocked down to a misdemeanor, according to Mr. Booth’s attorney, James F. Vlahadamis, a founding partner at Vlahadamis and Hillen LLP in Hampton Bays. Hon. Braslow also said in court that the charge could be lowered to a misdemeanor if he complies with his probation. By accepting the deal, Mr. Booth waived both his right to a grand jury and his right to appeal the case. Mr. Booth is not expected to face any jail time.Under most circumstances an individual convicted of second-degree grand larceny, a felony, could face up to between five and 15 years in prison, according to the New York Penal Code.Mr. Booth, who is now making approximately $65,000 annually, was still employed by the water district as of earlier this week.Sandra Cirincione, the director of human resources for Southampton Town, explained this week that since Mr. Booth is part of a union—Southampton Town Civil Service Employees Association Unit 8756, Suffolk County Local 852—he cannot be fired for pleading guilty to a crime, even a felony. He could, however, be put up for disciplinary review at the request of the Southampton Town Board, but, as of earlier this week, Ms. Cirincione said had not received instructions to do so.When reached on Tuesday afternoon, Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman declined to comment on Mr. Booth’s employment, stating that he still needs to discuss the situation with Russell Kratoville, the town’s management services administrator. “I have not seen Russell today,” he said. “It will probably come up on Thursday in executive session. I have no comment at this time.”Rob King, superintendent of the Hampton Bays Water District and Mr. Booth’s supervisor, referred all questions about Mr. Booth and his continued employment to the town’s Human Resources Department.The Arthur J. Jones Scholarship Fund, which benefits Hampton Bays students, was established in 2002 and is named after Mr. Jones, a 1982 graduate of the school district who was killed in the terrorist attacks while working at the World Trade Center. The scholarship fund is overseen by a nonprofit that is separate from the Hampton Bays School District. Representatives of the nonprofit have declined to discuss the situation.The fund awards two scholarships each year to members of the Hampton Bays boys and girls basketball teams. Candidates must write essays that are reviewed by the fund’s board, according to Hampton Bays Schools Superintendent Lars Clemensen. The names of the winners are typically announced each spring.In a 2006 article appearing in The Press and marking the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks, Mr. Booth identified himself as Mr. Jones’s best friend, explaining that he established the scholarship fund to honor his friend’s memory. Prior to his arrest, Mr. Booth also organized the Arthur Jones Memorial Scholarship Golf Outing, an annual event that also helped raise money for the fund.Prior to his client being sentenced last week, Mr. Vlahadamis noted that the district attorney’s office noted that Mr. Booth did not have a prior criminal history and had expressed remorse for stealing the funds.“We’re very pleased with the offer they made,” Mr. Vlahadamis said, referring to the district attorney’s office. “Warren looks forward to moving on from this.”