Mount Morris Woman Charged with Welfare Fraud Following Investigation
A Mount Morris resident has been charged with felony welfare fraud following an investigation by the Livingston County Sheriff's Office.
According to Sheriff Thomas J. Dougherty, the investigation began after the Livingston County Department of Social Services raised concerns about possible fraud. Authorities allege that 34-year-old Victoria Stephens misrepresented details about her household composition and income, resulting in the overpayment of $15,669 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits between March 2020 and November 2023.
On February 27, 2025, sheriff’s investigators arrested Stephens and charged her with felony welfare fraud in the third degree, felony grand larceny in the third degree, and six counts of offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree. She was taken to the Livingston County Jail for processing.
Stephens was later arraigned at the Livingston County Centralized Arraignment Part (LC-CAP) before Town of Geneseo Justice Bushnell. Under New York State bail laws, the charges did not qualify for bail, and she was released on her own recognizance.
The Livingston County Public Defender’s Office represented Stephens at her arraignment, while the Livingston County District Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.
The investigation was conducted with assistance from the Livingston County Department of Social Services and the District Attorney’s Office.