Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.
Click here to subscribe today or Login.

WILKES-BARRE — A Luzerne County judge accepted a request from officials of an elementary school’s parent teacher organization to allow former treasurer Pamela Sue Brady — who admitted to stealing money from the group — to spend the holidays with her family.

Brady, 36, of Northampton Street, Kingston, was arrested by Kingston police in June after an audit showed she stole more than $14,000 from the Schuyler Elementary School PTO.

Police said Brady used the PTO’s bank card and forged checks to herself from December 2017 until May. Brady became treasurer of the PTO in June 2016.

Brady admitted to stealing the PTO’s cash for personal use. She pleaded guilty to a felony theft count while prosecutors withdrew two counts of forgery against Brady.

“It was very easy for her to take this money; She was taking money from children,” Assistant District Attorney Cara Solimine said Monday at Brady’s sentencing hearing.

Judge Michael T. Vough said officials of the school’s PTO in a victim impact statement requested Brady to be imprisoned but asked for Brady to begin serving a sentence after the holidays.

“You drained the bank account for children,” Vough said to Brady.

Vough sentenced Brady to one-to-two months in jail followed by five years probation. The judge also ordered Brady to pay restitution of $14,050.43 to the school’s PTO.

If Brady pays full restitution before her probation sentence expires, she can apply to terminate the probation sentence, Vough said.

Brady was ordered to report to the county correctional facility Jan. 2 to begin serving her sentence.

Following Brady’s arrest, Maranjo’s Pizza and Italian Eatery in Wyoming held a fundraiser in July for the school’s PTO.

https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_Gavel-1.jpg.optimal.jpg

By Ed Lewis

[email protected]