Cranston pays up, avoids jail

The former director of T.J. McGowan and Sons Funeral Home has managed to avoid a stay in state prison by repaying $100,000 to the longtime area company.

Donald Cranston, 52, of Haverstraw, received a sentence of five years probation as he pled guilty to second-degree grand larceny.

According to authorities Cranston had defrauded his employer Foundation Partners out of the money over the period of February 2010 until July 2013. The company owns funeral homes in 13 states, including T.J. McGowan and Sons in Haverstraw.

Customers were not affected by Cranston’s larceny.