Peters Township woman charged with taking nearly $165K from preschool waives hearing
McMURRAY – The former financial administrator at Noah’s Ark Preschool in Peters Township who is charged with taking nearly $165,000 from the school will stand trial.
Leslie Monahan, 40, of 287 Franklin Drive, Peters, appeared Tuesday before District Judge James Ellis and waived her right to a preliminary hearing. She will be formally arraigned Nov. 17 in Washington County Court.
Monahan is charged with theft, receiving stolen property and access device fraud, according to a criminal complaint filed in August by Peters police. She was the financial administrator at Noah’s Ark from January 2012 until July 2016.
The missing funds were discovered during an inspection of financial records by the preschool’s new director, Heidi Garner, and its founder, Gerda Moul, according to the complaint.
During her employment at Noah’s Ark, Monahan allegedly wrote 257 checks to cash or to herself and then either kept the money or deposited it into her personal bank account, the complaint states. Monahan also had access to a debit card associated with the preschool’s bank account and made unauthorized transactions totaling $11,400, according to court records.
At the request of Noah’s Ark officials, Peters police began to investigate July 29.
Noah’s Ark is a ministry of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church on Gateshead Drive and uses the church facilities. The preschool has separate accounts from the church.
Noah’s Ark will operate as usual and will credit anyone who made tuition payments for the coming school year, regardless if it was for a month or full year.
Michelle Rochelle Koerbel, a Pittsburgh attorney representing Noah’s Ark, said the preschool will remain open. According to preschool officials, 120 children are enrolled.
Chris Blackwell, a Washington attorney representing Monahan, said his client used some of her own money to buy items for the preschool.
“She is cooperating,” Blackwell said.