Rhode Island official loses job over senior citizen cross-dressing scandal

CRANSTON, RI (KTRK) -- A Rhode Island official accused of having a man dress as a senior-aged woman for a photo op at a press conference is now without a job.

Cranston official Sue Stenhouse allegedly hatched a plan last week to have a senior home van driver wear lipstick, earrings and a wig when actual senior citizens did not show at the press conference.

Fake snow was brought in from the city's ice rink to help Stenhouse roll out the Snow Angel program, which allows teens to help seniors shovel snow.

Mayor Allen Fung says he had no idea that a senior woman standing beside him was really senior home employee David Roberts.

Elaine Mancuso, a stylist in Cranston, says Roberts came to her for help.

"He said to me, 'I need to have grey hair, curly,'" Mancuso says.

"Dave usually drives the senior citizens into the salon, so he says to me, 'Elaine, do you have a wig that I could borrow? I have to get dressed as a senior.'"

Mancuso says she didn't put two and two together until she saw the story on the news.

"I said, 'Oh my God, he wanted it for that,'" she says, with a laugh. "I probably would have given him a better wig if I had known."

It is unclear whether Stenhouse resigned or was fired, although the city says she officially resigned.

Stenhouse refused to comment on the story.