On Thursday, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Town of Lyons woman following a welfare fraud investigation.
Deputies arrested Brittney McKnight, 38, for Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree, Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, Welfare Fraud in the Fifth Degree, Misuse of Food Stamps, and three counts of Petit Larceny.
The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Wayne County Department of Social Services in conjunction with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office. It is alleged that McKnight allowed another individual to use $109 of her food stamps in exchange for a place to live, as well as access to $100 of her cash assistance. Additionally, authorities allege that McKnight forged a document stating she was pregnant in order to receive an additional pregnancy benefit, which granted her an extra $250 over the course of several months when she was not actually pregnant.
McKnight was held at the Wayne County Jail awaiting arraignment.
