Special Prosecutor's Clerk Accused Of Corruption In Rockland

SPRING VALLEY, NY — The clerk for Spring Valley's former special prosecutor is accused of "fixing" a court case for a traffic court defendant. She forged a signature, Rockland County District Attorney Thomas P. Zugibe announced Friday.

Evelyn Stefos of 70 Yale Terrace, Blauvelt, New York was arraigned on one count of Forgery in the Second Degree, a class “D” Felony and one count of Unauthorized Practice of a Profession, a class “E” Felony.

The probe is ongoing and additional arrests are expected.

According to the charges, Stefos, while acting as a clerk for former Village of Spring Valley Special Prosecutor Lawrence Weissman, forged Weissman’s signature on a plea agreement in order to unlawfully give a plea deal to a traffic court defendant.

“The public must have full faith and confidence in our judicial system,” Zugibe said in the announcement. “When the defendant allegedly forged a signature on the plea agreement, she undermined the authority of the court and weakened the legitimacy of the process.”

Stefos, 59, was arrested by the Rockland County District Attorney's Office Public Corruption Task Force
and arraigned in the Town of Ramapo Justice Court. She was released on her own recognizance.

The defendant is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 30, 2018. She faces a maximum of seven years in state prison. Executive Assistant District Attorney Richard Kennison Moran is prosecuting the case.

Ramapo is notorious for a culture of corruption, and Spring Valley is one of the epicenters:

SEE ALSO:

• St. Lawrence Sentenced In Bond Fraud
  
• Illegal School Holding Classes In Stadium Funded Through Fraud
  
• Ruling on Takeover of Spring Valley Democratic Committee
• Plea in Ramapo Development Agency Fraud Case
• St. Lawrence Resigns Chairmanship of County Boards
• Reaction to Ramapo Indictments: Calls for Review, Reform
• Senate Passes Legislation to Fight Illegal Housing in Ramapo
• Rockland Throws Down the Gauntlet to Ramapo, other Rockland Developers
• Town Supervisor Stadium Fraud Verdict: Officials, Prosecutors Respond
• Ramapo Demands Outsize Payments from School Districts
• FBI Raids New City Test Lab
• FBI in Spring Valley Again
• Desmaret Sentenced in Spring Valley Bribery Scheme
• "Corridor of Corruption" Scandal Nets Another Guilty Plea
• Spring Valley Building Inspector, Businessman Indicted
• SEC Charges 4 in Ramapo; Seeks Financial Penalties, Court
• Ramapo Planning Director Indicted
• State Slaps Ramapo on Private-school Fire Inspections
• Firefighters, Officials Call for State to Intervene in Ramapo, Spring Valley Code Enforcement
• Tress Resigns from Ramapo Town Board as Part of Plea Bargain
• East Ramapo Trustee Accused of Using Fake In-District Address
• Director Takes Plea in Ramapo Development Agency Fraud Case
  
• East Ramapo Parents Sue to Compel State to Act
• NYCLU Appeals to State over East Ramapo School Trustee 'Oversight'

PHOTO/ Rockland DA's Office