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Paul Morgan, former SPCA CNY executive director, pleaded guilty today to stealing more than a half-million dollars from the non-profit. Pictured here at arraignment in DeWitt Town Court.

(Sarah Moses | smoses@syracuse.c)

Syracuse, NY -- The former executive director of the SPCA pleaded guilty today to grand larceny and criminal tax fraud for stealing more than a half-million dollars from the non-profit.

Paul Morgan, 45, of Salina, will spend 4 to 12 years in prison under the plea agreement today. He admitted to stealing $591,852.31 from May 2010 to August 2016 and defrauding the state of $7,000 by not paying taxes on the stolen amount.

He admitted writing 132 checks to himself to steal from the non-profit while executive director, said prosecutor Michael Kasmarek.

Morgan also admitted writing improper checks to two co-workers, Taylor Gilkey and Nicole Cafarchio. He pleaded guilty to two extra counts of grand larceny for that.

Gilkey cashed checks worth $249,635.37 and Cafarchio cashed checks worth $62,270. Both women have previously pleaded guilty to their part in the scheme. Gilkey, who was Morgan's off-and-on romantic partner, will get 2 1/3 to 7 years in prison and Cafarchio will be given probation.

All told, the SPCA lost $903,757.68 in the scheme when all the thefts were added up.

Morgan arrived to court today in a suit and spoke quietly with his lawyer, Edward Z. Menkin, by his side.

The plea was nearly delayed by a conversation over how much money Morgan will owe the organization.

Menkin argued the amount had not yet been determined while Kasmarek, the prosecutor, said the amount couldn't be clearer based on the indictment.

In the end, though, it didn't really matter: there's no way Morgan could pay back that amount of money anyway.

"Restitution will not be made in your children's lifetime," Menkin told Judge Stephen Dougherty.

Eventually, Menkin consented to the prosecutor's amount of $591,852.31 so the plea could go forward.

That is what will be entered in as a judgment in the county clerk's office. It has the same force and effect as a credit card debt: if Morgan ever has any money in the future, the SPCA will be in line to collect the debt.

Don't expect that to happen anytime soon, if ever. Morgan will be in prison for at least the next several years and apparently doesn't have the money as it is.

The maximum prison sentence Morgan could have faced was 5 to 15 years. Kasmarek said he was given 4 to 12 years because of his willingness to plead guilty.

Morgan was led from court in handcuffs. He will be sentenced in about a month.