A Kingston woman and her son are facing felony charges after they allegedly defrauded the woman’s mother out of thousands of dollars in the guise of helping her manage her finances. A Sept. 5 indictment by an Ulster County grand jury charged Stephanie Melton, 48, with third-degree grand larceny as a hate crime. Her son, Travis Pettit, 28, is also charged with two counts of second-degree forgery and first-degree identity theft.

Prosecutors say the financial abuse began back in 2022 when the Melton’s mother, a 77-year-old Gardiner resident, suffered a stroke. Prosecutors say the victim took Melton up on her offer to take care of her financial needs and obligations and gave her access to her bank account to do so. Instead, between December 2022 and October 2023 when the fraud was discovered, prosecutors allege Melton spent thousands of dollars from the account in personal expenses without her mother’s authorization.

Prosecutors say Melton used the account to make online purchases for herself and wired funds from the account to herself and her son’s girlfriend. Pettit, meanwhile, allegedly forged his grandmother’s signature and stole her identity to insure his own vehicles without her knowledge or consent. Because of the hate crime enhancement — based on the victim’s age — Melton faces a maximum sentence of five to15 years in state prison. Pettit faces a maximum sentence of two-and-a-third to seven years. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Sohil Sharedalal. Melton is presently represented by Joey Drillings of the Ulster County Public Defender’s Office and Pettit is represented by Phil Sayles of Newburgh.

“The abuse of an elderly or disabled person is morally depraved and criminal. It is not just a financial crime, as it violates the dignity and any sense of financial security and psychological well-being of the victim, Sometimes, it contributes to deterioration in health,” said Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel Nneji. “It is unconscionable, and anyone who perpetrates such abuse must be held to account under the law.”