West Islip Woman Stole $385K From Employer: Police

WEST BABYLON, NY — A West Islip woman was arrested Tuesday after police said she embezzled more than $385,000 from her employer over five years.

Patricia Sparby, 66, worked as a bookkeeper for R & J Display Inc., at 96 Otis St. in West Babylon, when she wrote checks to herself totaling $385,424.36 between January 2019 and August 2024, according to Suffolk County police.

Police said the fraud was discovered during an internal audit of bank statements in 2025.

Sparby was charged with second-degree grand larceny, police said, following an investigation by Suffolk County Police Financial Crimes Unit detectives and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office Financial Crimes Bureau.

Sparby was arraigned on Tuesday at First District Court in Central Islip before District Court Judge F. Scott Carrigan. Judge Carrigan ordered Sparby released without bail because her charge is considered non-bail eligible under current New York State law.

Sparby is due back in court on June 9 and faces up to five to 15 years in prison if convicted. Sparby is being represented by the Legal Aid Society.

“This defendant allegedly stole a significant amount of money from her employer by systematically inflating her own payroll disbursements beyond what she was lawfully owed,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “Thanks to the diligent work of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit and my office, we were able to uncover her deception and place her under arrest for her crimes.”