Former Deemston secretary/treasurer charged with shopping on borough’s dime
The former secretary and treasurer for Deemston was charged with using her borough credit card, as well as credit cards issued to two other former employees, to make more than $10,000 in unauthorized purchases at area stores and online.
Venus Buryln Hanlin, 52, of Baily Avenue in Carmichaels, was arraigned Thursday on six charges of theft and three charges of access device fraud, all felonies.
State police alleged Hanlin, who was fired from her position with the borough in February, used the borough-issued cards to frequent stores like Big Lots, Walmart, Sam’s Club and Lowes between Nov. 16 and Feb. 4.
In total, police alleged she spent $9,766 on the cards, two of which were in the names of employees who had not worked for the borough since the first half of 2022. Borough council President Earl Gilpin said Friday that Hanlin had been instructed to destroy the former employees’ cards, but never did so.
Police said they were able to get surveillance video and receipts from the retailers which showed it was Hanlin making the unauthorized purchases. The criminal complaint did not specify what items were purchased with the cards.
According to court paperwork, Hanlin also used a borough account with the company Quill to purchase a freestanding 120-can beverage refrigerator that cost $359.07. Police said she had it shipped to “Deemston Borough” at her home address in Carmichaels.
She also allegedly bought $238.89 in notary supplies online, including a nameplate, sign and embossing seal that bore her name. Those items were listed as sold to her and the borough, but were also shipped to her home address in Greene County, according to police.
In total, Hanlin allegedly spent $10,364.12 in borough funds without approval to do so, police alleged.
Hanlin was suspended from her position with the borough on Jan. 13 “because she wasn’t doing her job correctly,” police wrote in charging documents. She was fired on Feb. 14.
Ten days later, Gilpin contacted police about the credit card charges, after he said the borough’s new secretary/treasurer found “discrepancies” in spending, he said.
“We started doing a little more digging ourselves, and found the unauthorized purchases,” Gilpin said, noting that a forensic audit has been conducted and additional investigation is continuing.
He said borough solicitor Steve Toprani is working with the credit card companies “to see if we can get some of the money back.”
He also said he was glad that since charges have been filed, council members can be transparent about the ongoing investigation.
“The public has been questioning us about this (investigation) for the last couple of months, and we couldn’t say anything until Thursday (when Hanlin was arraigned),” Gilpin said.
Hanlin, who is free on a $20,000 unsecured bond set by Washington County District Judge Curtis Thompson, faces an Aug. 9 preliminary hearing in the case.
There was no attorney listed for her in online court dockets.