A former executive director for the Derby Senior Center is accused of stealing money from the center and has been arrested.
Sarah Muoio, 30, of Milford, has been charged with one count of first-degree larceny and turned herself in to police on Friday morning.
Mayor Anita Dugatto fired Muoio in January and said in a statement on Friday that she is "deeply troubled by the magnitude of the allegations."
In the days leading up to the termination, a senior administrative assistant said Muoio had missed work for personal reasons and told police that the executive director gave her three file folders and told her to “hide them and then asked her to “shred” them, but she reported it to the mayor’s office instead.
Then an audit discovered discrepancies in the center’s financial records dating back to 2011 and city officials contacted police in February, according to court documents.
"As Director of the Senior Center, Sara was responsible for managing the daily operation of the facility and its programs. She was also entrusted with the well-being of our elderly community members. Her actions exploited our most vulnerable citizens and betrayed the trust and confidence of our City. I am appalled by the fact that these actions took place repeatedly over her tenure as a City official," Dugatto said in a statement.
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The treasurer of the senior center told police they should have $28,000 in a savings account, but the detective wrote the, “account shows an actual balance of $15,559.44.”
One detective wrote he received, “information that Sarah Muoio had used the DSC Webster Bank accounts to purchase personal items on numerous occasions” and court documents said there were more than “200 questionable transactions” from the DCS account for more than $21,700.
A search warrant connected to the case listed the items police seized from Muoio's home, including a Baxton white queen-size bed, a carpet sample and eight used paint cans.
Detectives also searched two of Muoio’s computers and a bank account.
Muoio posted a $10,000 court-set bond and has been released. She is due in Derby Superior Court on May 25.
NBC Connecticut knocked on Muoio's door earlier this month when the allegations surfaced to see if she had any comment, but nobody answered. Her attorney had no comment, other than that they will proceed through the court system.
Mayor Dugatto said she will take whatever action is necessary to seek full restitution to make the Senior Center whole again.
