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Thiells resident Ya’el Williams, 54, the executive director of Helping Hands in Rockland, has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of third-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument after using nearly $500 in counterfeit cash at a Spring Valley Walgreens location.
On Jan. 6, 2016, Williams used $480 in counterfeit $20 bills to purchase a Netspend money card at Walgreens. Upon pleading guilty, Williams admitted to knowing the currency was counterfeit when he used it to buy the money card, according to Rockland County District Attorney Anthony Zugibe.
As part of his plea agreement, Williams will begin serving a year in the Rockland County Jail when he is sentenced on Sept. 26.
“This defendant has admitted to defrauding at least one local business,” Zugibe said in a statement announcing the plea. “I hope this plea and jail sentence will serve as a deterrent to others who may consider preying on the businesses or citizens of Rockland County.”
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