Woman accused of welfare fraud

WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) - An Adams woman is accused of welfare fraud after she allegedly received nearly $33,000 in benefits she wasn’t entitled to.

The arrest Monday of 50-year-old Katina Arnold — also known as Katina Davis — followed an investigation by the Jefferson County Department of Social Services investigations unit and the district attorney’s office.

She’s accused in court papers of collecting $32,866 worth of benefits from SNAP, the federal program that replaced food stamps. She allegedly used incorrect information about her household to apply for SNAP for each of seven years from 2016 through 2022.

Arnold was charged with:

- Third-degree welfare fraud

- Third-degree grand larceny

- First-degree offering a false instrument for filing

- Misuse of food stamps, food stamp coupons, authorization cards, and electronic access devices.

She was arraigned Monday in Watertown city court and released.