PRESS RELEASE-FORMER EMPLOYEES OF LOCAL VETERANS ORGANIZATION CHARGED WITH THEFT
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on September 24, 2020, Jesse Violante, 33, of Tuckerton, Mary Anne Dileo, 67, of Manahawkin, and Gary Mclain, 33, of Little Egg Harbor, were each charged with Theft by Unlawful Taking in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3a. The three defendants are former employees of Vetwork, a Lacey Township-based nonprofit organization that provides resources and assistance to veterans in Ocean County. It is alleged that these individuals embezzled monies from Vetwork, beyond their approved salaries, between February 2019 and June 2019. The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Economic Crimes Unit.
Vetwork is a nonprofit organization, governed by a Board of Directors, which assists veterans in Ocean County with various services such as obtaining employment and finding suitable housing. The organization was partially funded by a generous grant received from the County of Ocean.
Violante was the director of Vetwork during the relevant time period. In that role, he was responsible for overseeing the employees of the organization and certifying all expenses. Dileo was the office manager and was responsible for processing payroll, while Mclain was in charge of community outreach. The allegation of misconduct was referred to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Economics Crimes Unit after an audit commissioned by the Board of Directors revealed that each of these individuals received extra payroll outlays above and beyond what they were entitled to. Specifically, it was determined that Violante, Dileo, and Mclain took additional payments on certain weeks in excess of their regular payroll checks in accordance with their existing salaries. In total, Violante received five extra payments totaling $5,855.20, while Dileo received twenty-six duplicate payments totaling $19,588, and Mclain received five duplicate payments totaling $4,972. The investigation revealed that these payments were not authorized by the Board, nor were they included in the documents submitted to the County of Ocean for purposes of obtaining funding.
Violante and Dileo surrendered themselves to law enforcement and were charged on summonses, processed by Officers of the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, and released pending a future court appearance. Mclain did not surrender himself to authorities; as such, a warrant for his arrest has been issued. Anyone with information regarding Mclain’s whereabouts is encouraged to contact Det. Lindsey Llauget of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 929-2027, extension 3462.
Prosecutor Billhimer commends the excellent work of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Economic Crimes Unit, with the assistance of the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, for their very thorough investigation leading to the filing of these charges. “It is disturbing, to say the least, that employees of a nonprofit organization designed to assist our veterans here in Ocean County would steal from that very organization. These defendants lined their pockets with money that was intended to help those who sacrificed so much for our country. This type of conduct is truly shameful,” Prosecutor Billhimer stated.
The media and public are reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lowlifes
There is a special place in hell for scumbags like these.
And he’s former military.. Complete POS
Can only describe these people as pos
What organization did they steal from
Albert Bowden Matarazzo vetwork.
Christina Rossman Omg they helped me few years ago
Absolutely disgusting!!
And they really think they won’t get caught
More scumbags that are going to get a slap on the wrist and turned loose.
Scum! Tyler Belostock
So low
SCUMBAGS
Never mess with the vets. They protected us now we will protect them. Lock them up and throw away the key
Lisa Martin what’s sad is the one running is a vet smh
Meghan Turner ugh
Notice how 1 is in the run & the others turned themselves in? Sound familiar?
Michael Howlett familiar to what?
Michael Howlett I know him used to work with him. He strashes his ex wife who is raising 2 children on her own is like $15,000 behind in child support and claims she’s keeping his children away from him. Now everyone gets to see the true him
Meghan Turner she is keeping them from him but that’s clearly none of your business
Julia McLain only recently one month because he won’t give a address where he takes his daughter JUDGE advise this.
its a troll post Juila ???? but yea, he should pay his child support, that’s a mess to get out of
Michael Howlett absolutely agree. ????
The State should also make child support arrears manageable too such as a case by case basis. Not everyone is a dead beat. I took care of my kids, paid my bills, but got hit with a massive arrears amount, but thats all paid off & unless I fuck up, ill always have a $10 credit on my account..hahahaha
Jaquie that’s his sister who is Clearly clueless.
Nicole Brustowicz who are you? I know enough about Amy using my brothers social to rack some bills up…but that’s none of my business ????????♀️
Julia McLain
You and I share ONE niece Julia McLain . Gary owes over $10,000 in child support. my sister never used Gary’s social to rack up any bills, your brother and my sister did that together and it was a Comcast bill that has been handled ACTUALLY. You have lived in Virginia for over a decade you do not know your brother, clearly. Gary has not been able to see His one (and only) daughter because he took her from your mother Lorettas house on a day that he was not supposed to have visitation and then he refused to bring her back until the police threatened him with an Amber alert because he broke court orders and my sister is following the judges orders and not allowing Gary to see the her until their emergency hearing ! Your abusive brother should and will be going to jail veryyyy soon. ????
dam garry
The woman took way more than the men. She was probably in charge of the money & paid them hush money.
Linda Tate Gutman nope
Scum
That’s LOW! Hope they weren’t taking my mailed in donations!! ????
Glad they are finally being charged .. Gary lives in a trailer park in whitesville the Tuckerton police HAVE his address .. call them ????
Nicole Brustowicz Saw weather there’s a warrant out fire McClain. He unable took off
huh
That’s terrible.
Your going to hell bitches
That’s disgusting.
I want to say on their behalf, they helped me. I am a disabled veteran…as are both Jesse and Gary. And despite these charges they have good hearts and they did a lot of good work. It pains me terribly to see them smeared like this even if it’s true because of them being there for me when I absolutely needed them.
I found myself in a bad situation where I was literally stuck sleeping in my car because of a landlord dispute…I didn’t know anything about renters rights and I left because of the dispute. And this was the day before Thanksgiving 2016. It was awful. I went to the Vetbureu, they sent me immediately to Vetwork’s. And Gary had a bag of food and a key for the Lacey Inn for me. I can’t honestly put into words how appreciative I still am for that. But I know I can’t sit idly and have people pass judgement on them, when they have helped so many like myself.
It doesn’t excuse anything illegal, but they’re good people inside. They are, I can attest to that.
they were paid to help u they took advantage they are not good people inside just a bunch of pieces of shit that finally got caught hope they get what they deserve
Jackie Mazing I really didn’t interact with Dileo. But Jesse and Gary, they are good people.
Carol Fernandez well, they helped me. Got me into VA programs for PTSD and regardless of this, which is awful…I wasn’t without shelter going into the winter months and holidays which is a peak season for veteran suicide. And I am forever grateful that they were there when I needed.
I’m not excusing what they did, just attesting to the character they exhibited when I was there…
Salohcin Isam I’m glad they helped you, all that aside I helped my father into the va he’s a nam vet and all it took me was to call them and set him up an appointment literally it took me a phone call. My dad just didn’t know that and you also might have not been aware of it. It wasn’t a lot to do with my father at all. Even though they helped you they still robbed from the system and in my book people robbing from vets are p.o.s. anyway thank you for your service.
Chris Soden I’m sorry to hear that about your father. Those vets had it especially hard. God bless him and your family
Disgraceful
Make them work at a VA hospital for a month
Walter Milk Prison time. Large amount involved
Walter Milk they’re both disabled veterans. Although Dileo I don’t believe is. I noticed she was tight gripped on those shop rite gift cards too… I’m betting she spent a lot more than just $20k.
INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY
Andy Nemec There’s evidence. Paper trail
Sharon McGovern Catherine Landers
Saw it!
Did they find McClain yet?
Beth Lane no
Yeah, I remembered Violante wearing 3 piece suits and parading around like he gave a shit, way to be a blue falcon
Albert Blue Falcons are the worst.
You misspelled dildo
Oh shit Nick Hall!!
What a shame. That’s part of the problem today, fewer people value their integrity or their word. In the end that’s all you really have and these clowns give it away for a little bit of money. I feel for their families, especially children if they have any.
Dawn Mertz
Granny made sure she was getting more than her cut, lol. I suppose has been a shortage of Depends since this covid-19 situation…Mclain’s mugshot says it all, “You mofos gonna have to issue and warrant and catch my ass”, lol….”Bye, Felicia!”
Haha and her cut was so weak all of this shame for that much money
Despicable
Did someone delete my comment about how trump did the same thing.
Shame on them!????
Of course!
Wow, I stayed as a homeless Vet in the Lacey inn, they were helpful, Jesse was an Afgan Vet and volunteer fireman, what happened to these people
Very disappointing
Scumbags
Shameful to say the least!! #nomorals