Cobleskill troopers say she stole a checkbook
By Amy L. Ashbridge
Staff Writer
A third person was arrested last week regarding actions that happened at the former Mountain View Manor in Middleburgh.
Stacey Mickel, 31, was arrested July 31, according to the Schoharie County district attorney’s office.
Mickel was charged with petit larceny and second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, a felony.
State police at Cobleskill said Mickel stole a checkbook from a resident at Mountain View Manor. Mickel was a resident coordinator at the home.
Mickel allegedly stole a checkbook from a resident and used checks from it to buy various things, according to a news release. Th[an error occurred while processing this directive]ose items included a carpet cleaner at Wal-Mart, the release said.
Troopers said they didn’t know if the money had been repaid to the resident or how much Mickel stole. A person can be charged with petit larceny if they steal up to $1,000.
It’s unclear when Mickel stole the book, troopers said.
Bette J. Forshaw, owner and operator of the home, and Thomas E. Willis, home administrator, were charged in June related to an incident where money was stolen from residents in the home.
Willis and Forshaw were each charged with petit larceny, troopers said at the time, after a resident’s daughter noticed money was stolen from her mother’s personal account at Mountain View Manor.
Troopers said that money was repaid to the resident.
A representative from the Schoharie County district attorney’s office said the cases against Foreshaw and Willis are pending.
Mickel does not have a listed telephone number; she could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Mickel is to appear in Middleburgh Town Court on Monday.
The state Department of Health closed Mountain View Manor in June because of unrelated issues. Those issues had put residents’ health and safety in danger, officials said at the time. They included staff having shut off a smoke detector, staff not knowing how to work a sprinkler system, and burnt-out exit lights.
The Department of Health had no comment Wednesday about Mickel’s arrest.
"That would be of a criminal nature, and we would not play any role," said spokesman Joe DiMura.
DiMura did confirm that the home had been closed in June after having its operating license revoked.
"It’s no longer an adult home certified by the state," DiMura said. "We monitored the transfer of all residents."
Mountain View Manor will not reopen in the same manner in which it was open before, he said.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]"Certainly not under the owners and operators that were there. That would be an impossibility," DiMura said.
DiMura said if the department received a Certificate of Need application for the home under new ownership, it would be reviewed.
———
Amy L. Ashbridge can be reached at aashbridge@thedailystar.com or 432-1000, ext. 213 or (800) 721-1000, ext. 213.
