Thane Grauel

tgrauel@lohud.com

HAVERSTRAW – A former funeral director has been arrested by state police on charges he deposited $400,000 of customers' checks into his personal bank account.

Donald Cranston, 51, of Haverstraw, was arrested Wednesday in conjunction with the Rockland County District Attorney's Office, and charged with second-degree grand larceny.

State police said the arrest came after a six-month investigation. Cranston had worked at Foundation Partners, a firm that owns funeral homes in 13 states, including the T.J. McGowan and Sons Funeral Home in Haverstraw, where Cranston worked. Some $400,000 of customers' checks for services were deposited into Cranston's personal bank account.

State police said the probe determined that the funeral home provided all the services customers paid for.

A LinkedIn profile Cranston says he is a self-employed funeral director and shipbuilder. Cranston was arraigned in the Town of Haverstraw Justice Court and released on bail. He is to appear again Sept. 11.

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