Monticello police arrested Lisa M. Goodfriend (42) of Monticello on Thursday 4/4/13. Goodfriend was charged with misdemeanors for criminal use of a public benefit card, welfare fraud in the 5th degree and misuse of food stamps.

Goodfriend was arrested after a 58 year-old Monticello woman reported to Monticello police that she was approached by Goodfriend while in the parking lot of the Horizons Apartment Complex on Harmony Lane in the Village of Monticello.

Goodfriend told the other female that she had $200 on her NYS benefit card and that she would sell her the card for $80 cash. Goodfriend handed the card to the other female who then tried to hand it back to Goodfriend. Goodfriend refused to take the card back telling the other female to go to an ATM and meet her with the $80 in the parking lot.

The other female then drove to the Monticello police department and reported the incident. Monticello officers then went to the parking lot, located and arrested Goodfriend.

Monticello police then contacted the Sullivan County Department of Family Services welfare investigation unit who responded to the Monticello police station and immediately terminated Goodfriend’s benefits. Goodfriend was arraigned before acting Village of Monticello Justice Martin Miller and remanded to the Sullivan County Fail on $500 bail pending further court action.