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Police: Saranac Lake woman embezzled from search-rescue group

Shannon Bresett (Photo provided by New York State Police)

A Saranac Lake woman was arrested Tuesday for allegedly stealing $20,000 from a nonprofit search-and-rescue organization she co-founded.

Shannon C. Bresett, 42, was charged with third-degree grand larceny, a class D felony.

State police said the charge dates to Aug. 30, 2016, when they received a report of a theft from Champlain Valley Search and Rescue K9 Unit, based in Keeseville.

An investigation found Bresett, the group’s business manager and co-founder, “made several thousand dollars’ worth of personal purchases using bank accounts opened under the organization’s name,” police said in a press release.

Bresett was arraigned in town of AuSable court and released on her own recognizance to reappear in court at 10 a.m. Feb. 24.

Champlain Valley Search and Rescue’s website says the organization is a search and rescue team “specialized with the working dog and support personnel to search for and rescue lost or missing persons.

“We are specifically trained to assist with land and water searches, as well as natural or man made disasters in which people may be trapped or missing,” the website reads.

The site’s homepage says the organization has had “a rough couple years, but we kicked off 2016 with a fresh new start.

“We’ve undergone a dramatic restructure, but we are looking forward to come out of this stronger than ever,” the site says.

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