Former tax collector pleads guilty
The former West Brownsville real estate tax collector who stole nearly $116,000 from the borough over a six-year period pleaded guilty to the thefts last week.
Cindy L. Lacey, 59, of 619 River St., West Brownsville, pleaded guilty to a single felony theft charge on July 2 and was sentenced by Washington County Judge Katherine Emery to serve 11 ½ to 23 months in jail. She will be required to repay all of the stolen money. She also faces five years on probation after her release from jail.
West Brownsville officials contacted investigators Sept. 21 after an audit of the borough’s tax collector account had been performed for the years 2005 through 2011. The audit showed that $115,940 was stolen from the account – between $10,000 to $26,000 a year – during that time period.
Lacey admitted to stealing the money from the tax collector account and told investigators she used the money for personal items.
Lacey served as elected tax collector from 2002 until May 2012, when she resigned.