Former treasurer pleads guilty to stealing $100k from South Fayette fire department
The former treasurer of the Fairview Volunteer Fire Department in South Fayette Township has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $100,000 from the department over two years.
Frank E. DeThomas, 61, of South Fayette, pleaded guilty March 28 in Allegheny County Court to one felony charge of theft by unlawful taking and one misdemeanor count of misapplying entrusted government funds, according to online court records.
Charges of theft by deception, receiving stolen and records tampering were withdrawn as part of the plea deal, court records indicate.
DeThomas is scheduled to be sentenced June 19 by Allegheny County Judge Edward Borkowski. His attorney, Kevin Zinski, could not be reached for comment.
The Allegheny County District Attorney’s office charged DeThomas last August and accused him of writing out checks in his own name and cashing them between December 2013 and December 2015. Investigators said he signed a total of 40 checks worth a total of $100,464.
Although the fire department has a two-signature requirement for its checks, investigators said blank checks were often signed and given to DeThomas. He then provided monthly spreadsheet information of profits and losses, along with a list of bills that were paid on behalf of the fire department.
DeThomas remained as treasurer until the fire department members voted him out in December 2015. After that, his replacement found irregularities in the cashing of checks.
Investigators said DeThomas used the money from the fire department to supplement his income.