At about 8:15 Monday morning, former Broome County Executive Debbie Preston turned herself in to the New York State police barracks in Kirkwood, NY.
She's charged with misusing a credit card back when she was supervisor for the Town of Conklin. Preston served as supervisor from 2003 to 2011. She became county executive in 2012 and lost a bid for re-election last November.
She’s accused of getting a credit card in the town’s name and her name and buying things for herself. The allegations say she then used the card after she became County Executive, even though she was told to not use it.
Joseph Fazzary, district attorney in Schuyler County, is prosecuting Preston because Broome County District Attorney Steve Cornwell recused himself.
The judge may recuse himself from Preston's case, too.
"[Preston] was the town supervisor while this judge was a judge in that community. I don’t know that that creates a conflict. That’s left up to the judge to decide,” said Fazzary.
Preston is due in court next Tuesday morning, April 25. That’s when the judge will formally charge her and ask if she pleads guilty or not guilty.
In the meantime, she doesn’t have to wait in jail. If she’s convicted, she could get a maximum of two years in county jail.