Standing before Judge Ralph Gazzillo, she said she was "extremely remorseful." He called her crime "an abomination." Despite her statement and what her supporters had hoped would be an opportunity to present a letter to the judge about her many years of charity work in the community -- work that has continued with her volunteering at Maureen's Haven at St. Agnes R.C. Church in Greenport while she was free on her own recognizance since pleading guilty to the charge on April 30 -- she was unable to make any restitution. The court refused to consider the letter that would have had to be filed at least seven days before the sentencing, one of her supporters said.
"The worst thing about this is you stole from the poor," a stern Judge Gazzillo said. "I see no remorse," he said.
Her attorney, Anthony Palumbo of Goggins and Palumbo in Mattituck, had no comment on the sentence.
But assistant district attorney Lucie Kwon "wholeheartedly" agreed with Judge Gazzillo, saying that in the months Ms. Winterbottom has been free, she hasn't demonstrated any willingness to pay back any of the money.
The funds were gambled away. A friend in Greenport pointed out that Ms. Winterbottom had "an addiction" to gambling and her attorney told The Suffolk Times in April that she wasn't living wealthy. The money was simply gone, he said then. Ms. Winterbottom has been living at McCann Trailer Park in Greenport where she served as park director until this month.
In April, Mr. Palumbo had painted her as a woman in need of help with her addictions to gambling and alcohol.
Had Ms. Winterbottom been able to pay $100,000 in restitution, the sentence would have been two to six years in jail, Judge Gazzillo had told her in April.
Ms. Winterbottom was arrested on Oct. 4, 2007, at the North Fork Parish Outreach Thrift Shop then located on Horton's Lane in Southold. She had been director there since May 2001, and was known in the community for her hard work on behalf of the area's poorest residents.
The North Fork Parish Outreach is a nonprofit operation directed by the pastors of four Catholic Churches in Southold Town -- St. Agnes in Greenport, Our Lady of Ostrabrama in Cutchogue and our Lady of Good Counsel Mission with churches in Cutchogue and Mattituck.
An internal audit of the organization's books by the Diocese of Rockville Centre revealed inconsistencies in financial documentation and missing funds, leading to an investigation by the Suffolk County District Attorney.
A forensic accountant determined that at least $733,019.72 had been taken over the years, Ms. Kwon said. There may have been more, but the case had to be brought on the basis of what could be proved, she said.
This was money used to by clients of NFPO to heat homes, pay bills and meet other vital expenses, Ms. Kwon said.
"Donations are sparse and it really hits close to the heart with so many people with so little," she said.
But that's not how Ms. Winterbottom's supporters saw it.
"She didn't deserve this," one of them shouted as she left the court building.
jlane@timesreview.com