Guilty Plea in Embezzlement by Bank Agent
Defendant Stole Items While Providing Foreclosure Services

ALBANY, NY—United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Special Agent in Charge Clifford C. Holly of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Albany Division, announced today that Sean DeCelle pled guilty before United States Magistrate Judge David R. Homer to embezzlement by an agent of a federally insured bank.

Defendant DeCelle, age 44, of Troy, New York, admitted that, in or about 2009, while acting as an agent of and connected in a capacity with Quantum Bank (hereinafter “the bank”), the deposits of which were then insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, he knowingly and with intent to injure and defraud the bank, took assets of and intrusted to the custody and care of the bank and to him. Specifically, the defendant admitted that he stole certain items belonging to a Ms. Jeanne Wells, d/b/a Marie’s Dreamhouse, Inc., 2804 Route 42, Westkill, New York, while he was providing foreclosure services at that location on behalf of the bank. On June 6, 2010, the defendant was interviewed at his residence by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, at which time he admitted the theft and wrote out a list of items he had taken, which included steamer trays, fans, a meat slicer, wooden chairs, bowls, a tea pot, a silverware separator, and a blender, and the FBI took pictures of a number of these items located within his residence.

Defendant DeCelle faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to one year of imprisonment, a $100,000 fine, or both, and a period of up to one year supervised release to follow any term of imprisonment, as well as mandatory restitution. Sentencing was set for Monday, September 26, 2011, at 1:30 p.m., before Magistrate Judge Homer in Albany.

The investigation in this matter was conducted by the Albany Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.