Group home manager took money from bank accounts of residents, Southampton police say

A Westhampton man was arrested Thursday following a monthslong investigation into thefts from bank accounts belonging to residents at a group home where he worked, Southampton Town Police said. Police did not name the group home.

Police said the investigation by detectives, in connection with the AHRC, a nonprofit organization that advocates for people affected by intellectual and other developmental disabilities, ended when the suspect, identified as Sean Haynes, 32, surrendered Thursday at Southampton police headquarters.

He was charged with two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, five counts of third-degree grand larceny and one count of petit larceny. Haynes was released on a field appearance ticket and will face arraignment at a later date in Southampton Town Justice Court, police said.

Police said Haynes was a "house manager" at the home and that the investigation determined he "began stealing monies from several residents' accounts, depleting the victims' bank accounts." Police did not disclose the amounts allegedly stolen.

It also was not immediately clear how the thefts were uncovered — or how many residents are believed to have been victimized in the scam.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”