Gambling Addict Judge in New York State Shown Leniency After Embezzlement
A former Cayuga County, New York State judge who acknowledged sticking her fingers in court funds was given a probationary term.
June Shepardson served as the town judge of Moravia, a town in the Finger Lakes region of New York state with 1,270 residents. In July, the local court placed her on suspension while it looked into a $6K missing.
Shepardson left the job she had been in since 2001 on September 1, 2023, and she later admitted to taking the money.
Shepardson was given a five-year probationary period by Cayuga County Court Judge Thomas Leone on Thursday for the class E felony of fourth-degree grand theft. Shepardson made restitution payments totaling more than $6K as part of her plea deal.
Self-Admitted Gambler
Shepardson has acknowledged that she is a gambling addict. In the case, her attorney, J. Justin Woods, highlighted that she is still working to overcome her addiction.
“Unfortunately, near the end of her service, Justice Shepardson developed a gambling addiction for which she is now in recovery,” Woods said in December. “She appreciated the opportunity to serve her community on the bench with fairness.”
In addition to expressing excitement about "returning to private life," Shepardson stated that he was dedicated to providing "awareness and treatment resources about gambling addiction to those isolated in rural areas."
According to Woods, his client had stopped going to local casinos. The del Lago Resort & Casino and Lakeside Entertainment I and II of Cayuga Nation are two nearby gaming establishments.
Town and village courts are local courts in New York State that deal with criminal cases, small claims, traffic fines, and municipal code infractions including zoning.
In the state of New York, there is no mandatory prison sentence for fourth-degree grand larceny. Shepardson might have served up to four years, though.
Shepardson had disappointed the public, according to state Judicial Conduct Commission member Robert Tembeckjian.
“Town and village court justices are responsible for safeguarding, reporting, and promptly remitting all official monies collected by their courts from fines, fees, and other sources,” Tembeckjian said in a recent statement. “Failure to do so undermines public confidence in the integrity of the judiciary.”
Bribes with portentousness
While it is not unheard of, it is uncommon for judges in the US to jeopardize their integrity by developing a gambling addiction. After being found guilty of corruption in 2010, Congress impeached and removed U.S. District Judge Thomas Porteous from his position.
Porteous said that he had a drinking and gambling addiction that caused him to take bribes.
In American history, he was the ninth federal judge to be impeached and removed from office.