SMETHPORT – An Olean, N.Y., woman pleaded guilty Thursday in
McKean County Court to 147 charges relating to defrauding a
children’s assistance facility out of more than $5,000.

Julie Anne Ganoung, 42, of 1234 Old Rock City Road, pleaded
guilty to 95 counts of insurance fraud, 50 counts of forgery and
one count each of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen
property.

“There is no plea agreement,” said her attorney, Jay Paul Kahle.
“My client is prepared to enter a plea to all the counts in the
information.”

District Attorney John Pavlock said he would not read the
factual basis for each charge Ganoung was facing, adding “we would
be here all day.”

He summarized the charges, explaining that between Sept. 20 and
Feb. 28, while Ganoung worked for Beacon Light Behavioral Health
Systems Inc., she submitted numerous vouchers for treatment that
she had not actually provided.

She had forged someone else’s name on the vouchers indicating
that they had been approved, according to court records.

“She said she had provided services for children,” Pavlock said.
The vouchers she submitted claimed that she was owed for those
services and for reimbursement for mileage, he said.

The vouchers were turned in to an insurance company for $5,232 –
“that was the total amount that resulted from the fraudulent
reports,” Pavlock said.

When Pavlock finished summarizing the charges against Ganoung,
Judge John Yoder asked Ganoung if she had committed the acts that
Pavlock had just read.

“Yes,” she said softly.

“How do you plead?” Yoder asked.

“Guilty,” Ganoung said.

Yoder set sentencing for 1 p.m. Oct. 27. He ordered the McKean
County Adult Probation Department to perform a full pre-sentence
investigation prior to Ganoung’s sentencing.

Beacon Light offers services to children and adolescents with
emotional and behavioral problems. Treatment is provided both in
group homes and through services within the community.