Ierlan offered plea deal to pay full restitution, avoid jail in grand larceny case

Melissa Ierlan

ALBION – Melissa Ierlan was offered a plea deal today where she would not face any jail or prison time in a felony grand larceny case. She would need to pay full restitution, a figure determined to be $102,752 by the state comptroller’s office.

Ierlan, who worked many years as the Clarendon code enforcement officer and cemetery administrator, also has been president of the Clarendon Historical Society. In the Historical Society role she is alleged to have falsified records to steal $102,752.

On Dec. 30, she was charged with first-degree and second-degree grand larceny with property value exceeding $50,000. The most serious charge carries a maximum of 5 to 15 years in state prison.

As part of a plea offer today, if she pleads guilty to one count of fourth-degree grand larceny, she would not face incarceration. The offer was presented by Assistant District Attorney Daniel Punch.

Ierlan appeared in court with her attorney, George Muscato. He asked for time to consider the offer. Ierlan wasn’t given a date for her next court appearance.

Ierlan appeared this morning before County Court Judge Sanford Church, who is serving as acting town court judge because the Clarendon Town Justice Thomas DiFante recused himself.

The case remains at the local court level and not at County Court. If Ierlan declines the plea offer, the case is expected to go to the grand jury which could issue an indictment and put the case at the county court level.

The criminal complaint against Ierlan says she took more than $50,000 from the Clarendon Historical Society between Dec. 16, 2020 and Sept. 27, 2025 while acting as president and financial controller.

Ierlan is accused of falsifying meeting minutes in order to collect on a $102,752 life insurance policy of a community member who died.