|
|
Former CYFS director faces trial for theft
Thursday, November 19, 2009
By Liza Matia Staff Writer
All charges were bound over yesterday for a former Clearfield County Children, Youth and Family Services director accused of tampering with public records and various theft charges. Lisa Dohner, 47, of Clearfield faces charges of theft by unlawful taking, criminal attempt, theft by deception, tampering with fpbreakpublic records or information, conflict of interest and forgery.
Charges stem from incidents that allegedly occurred from 2003 to 2006 while Dohner was employed as a director of CYFS. At a preliminary hearing yesterday, Clearfield County Commissioner Mark McCracken testified that, as a county employee, Dohner would have been reimbursed for miles she traveled for work. He said all county employees were to submit mileage records in order to be reimbursed.
Deputy Attorney General James Reeder presented several of Dohner's mileage records for McCracken's review. McCracken pointed to a trip to Pittsburgh in February 2006 that was disallowed. He said that through a conversation with another person, he learned that Dohner had not taken the trip. Her mileage sheet reflected the change in reimbursement for that month.
On cross-examination by Dohner's attorney, Michael Murphy, McCracken said he had spoken to Dohner about the trip and she had offered an explanation.
Lisa Rauch, deputy controller, reviewed Dohner's mileage reports as well as her reimbursement checks for various dates from December 2004 to February 2006. She noted that the disallowed trip had not been reimbursed.
In questioning several dates for trips, for which Dohner had been reimbursed, Reeder presented several witnesses from the various destinations she claimed to have visited.
Marlene Dexter, a director of corporate compliance from the Sarah Reed Children's Center in Erie, testified that Dohner had not visited the facility on Dec. 17, 2004, or Jan. 28, 2005. Dexter said she checked various records to make that determination.
Elaine Phillips, CEO of Community Caring Services, said that Dohner attended two meetings in Clarion in October 2005. However, she noted that Dohner had not attended an Oct. 6 meeting, as she had claimed, because there had not been a meeting on that date. Phillips said there had been a meeting Oct. 7. Murphy pointed out that his client had claimed she attended two meetings and was reimbursed for two meetings. He suggested that Dohner had recorded the wrong date.
Mary Stoops of the Clarion Psychiatric Center said there was no record of Dohner visiting the facility on Dec. 1, 2005, as she had claimed on her mileage sheet. Stoops said she had examined sign-in records from that day because no one enters beyond the lobby without signing in.
Charles Songer, an executive director for CYFS, said there had been a meeting in Harrisburg on Jan. 19, 2006, but there were no records of Dohner's attendance and she had not registered for the meeting.
The solicitor for CYFS, Cynthia Stewart, said she was required to go to Pittsburgh in February 2006 to present an argument before the court. She said Dohner had talked about going with her, but did not.
The court also heard from several of Dohner's CYFS coworkers. Bonnie Baughman, a secretary at CYFS, said Dohner had instituted a "jeans day" policy in which employees could wear jeans if they paid $1. The money was then supposed to be donated to charity. Baughman said she collected the money, and then turned it over to Dohner at the end of the month to donate to charity.
Tonya Weitoish, who worked as a caseworker when Dohner was administrator, said Dohner had the "jeans day" program approved by the commissioners at the request of the employees. Weitoish said Dohner then enforced the policy.
Reeder showed the woman several thank-you cards to verify the defendant's handwriting. Weitoish said she was familiar with Dohner's handwriting from work. She said some of the writing on the cards looked similar to that of the defendant.
Nikki Rohrback, a former CYFS employee, testified that she handled a $100 donation from King Coal Sales Inc. in September 2006. The donation was to go to the Red Cross to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina. Rohrback said she gave the check to Dohner, who was supposed to turn it over to the Red Cross. Several months later, Rohrback learned that the check had neither been received nor cashed. She said she questioned Dohner about it, and shortly after, King Coal Sales Inc. received a receipt and thank-you card from the Red Cross.
Rohrback also identified handwriting on the thank you cards that Reeder presented as being similar to that of the defendant.
When McCracken was recalled to the stand, he said there had been some questions regarding the "jeans day" money and where it had gone.
He said this incident arose while the commissioners were inquiring about her mileage reports. McCracken said he had several conversations with the defendant about the issue. She then presented a list of charities that had been given donations and then provided copies of thank-you cards that she claimed to have received from them.
The charities included the SPCA, Red Cross, and the American Cancer Society.
Barbara Noone of the Red Cross said she never received a donation from CYFS or from Dohner during from 2003-2006. When Reeder presented a handwritten card purported to be from the Red Cross, Noone said that the organization would not have sent such a card.
Marie Reano of Community Action said her organization has a preprinted card, which is sent when donations are received. She said no such donation was received from Dohner or CYFS from 2003-2006. She said the organization was not permitted to send commercial thank-you cards, like the one purported to be from Community Action, which Reeder presented.
Pam Smith, SPCA director, said her organization never received a donation from Dohner or CYFS from 2003-2006. She also said that the organization would have sent a computer-generated thank you if such a donation had been received. Smith said the card presented by Reeder as evidence would not have been sent from the SPCA.
An American Cancer Society representative, Karen Belin, said she checked statewide records and found no indication that Dohner or CYFS had made a donation during the time period in question. She said the organization would not have sent a card like the one offered as evidence.
Once Dohner was terminated from CYFS, former County Commissioner Rex Read said Dohner's office was locked and her desk was searched. He found thank-you cards, matching one of the ones entered as evidence. Read also found a thank-you card with the words "The SPCA thanks you" written inside.
Cpl. Gary Simler of the Pennsylvania State Police collected writing samples from the defendant to compare with the cards.
The cards were sent to the crime lab in Harrisburg. According to the lab report, Simler said that the writing on one of the cards was determined to be that of the defendant, while she could not be excluded as the author of the other cards.
Murphy argued that the allegations were "garden-variety thefts" and not felonies. He advised that if Judge Hawkins were to hold the charges, it should be a theft case.
Reeder said that all Dohner had to do was present something as authentic, when it was not, in order to commit the crimes.
Dohner is currently free on $10,000 unsecured bail. At the ruling of Judge Hawkins, she is to have no contact with any of the witnesses in the case.
|  |
|
|
|
