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WILKES-BARRE – The former treasurer of an ambulance association was sentenced Tuesday to 18 months house arrest for stealing more than $5,000 from the association and spending it on lottery tickets and cigarettes.
Luzerne County Judge Thomas Burke sentenced Cassandra Lee Screenock, 25, of Highland Street, Freeland, on charges of theft by failure to make required deposits. She pleaded guilty to the charge in June.
Screenock was charged in December with stealing the money from the West Hazleton Ambulance Association while she was treasurer there in 2008.
Burke said friends and family of Screenock wrote nearly 20 letters that were “extremely complimentary of (her) character” and showed she has a lot of support during a difficult time in her life.
“She’s accepted responsibility and as shown … considerable remorse for what’s she’s done,” Burke said. “I don’t believe a jail term is warranted.”
Burke sentenced Screenock to house arrest, with the first nine months on electronic monitoring, as well as 80 hours of community service and to write a letter of apology to the ambulance association.
“You’re standing here not because of who you are, but what you’ve done,” Burke said.
Screenock apologized for the theft Tuesday morning, and paid back $5,070 restitution in full.
“I’m very sorry for what I did,” she said through tears.
According to court records, Screenock told police she had gambling and shopping addictions and that most of the cash was used to buy lottery tickets. She admitted to making 47 unauthorized cash withdrawals as well for purchases including gasoline, cigarettes, membership to an adult social networking Web site, video games and food.
Burke ordered Screenock to refrain from gambling and purchasing lottery tickets. Her attorney, Tom Marsilio, said Tuesday that Screenock has been attending and will continue to attend counseling at Northeast Counseling Services for a number of issues.
According to court records:
Robert Kramer, an ambulance association member, told West Hazleton police Chief Brian Buglio on Dec. 30 that Screenock had been using an association debit card to withdraw funds for personal use.
Theodore R. Laputka, the association’s chairman and current treasurer, said that after reviewing the checking account in early October, he realized money was missing.
He said Screenock told him she had mistakenly used the ambulance debit card instead of her own. He said he froze association accounts on Nov. 14 after he discovered more withdrawals.
At a meeting on Nov. 16, the association confronted Screenock about the money, and the board asked her to pay it back. Laputka said Screenock paid back $5,000 with a credit card transfer, using a credit card in her father’s name.
Laputka filed a report with the district attorney on Jan. 6 – the same day he received a personal check for $809 drawn on Screenock’s parents’ account. Police determined that $5,070 was misappropriated.