Redstone Township woman accused of stealing from local athletic clubs
A Redstone Township woman who served as treasurer for two youth athletic organizations is accused of stealing from both of them.
Jenifer O’Hern, 45, is charged by state police with felonies of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.
According to the criminal complaint, while working for Falcon Fast Pitch Softball and Brownsville/Redstone Youth Baseball, O’Hern spent more than $9,500 of the clubs’ money on personal expenses.
Court records list O’Hern’s lawyer as Uniontown attorney Brent Peck. He did not respond to a message left at his office Thursday.
People who worked with O’Hern at both organizations took notice of suspicious transactions charged to their accounts, including for gas, restaurants and Amazon purchases, according to court documents.
The bulk of the money was stolen from Falcon Fast Pitch Softball, more than $8,800, while $628 was stolen from Brownsville/Redstone Youth Baseball, according to the complaint.
Falcon Fast Pitch Softball’s current treasurer, Craig Rechichar, said in a phone interview Thursday that O’Hern began as treasurer in 2018.
“When she started out, she was really an asset to the organization. She was good with the bookkeeping. She was able to find good prices on the gifts we would buy the girls. She did a lot of good for the organization. That’s why I think it was a little bit surprising,” Rechichar said.
According to the complaint, in July of last year, another officer with access to the group’s bank account noticed suspicious transactions beginning in 2019.
James Dillinger Jr., a founding board member and current treasurer for Brownsville/Redstone Youth Baseball, said they began to notice seemingly personal transactions in their bank statements around the same time.
When both groups confronted O’Hern, she paid back about $575 to Falcon Fast Pitch Softball and $628 to the baseball club. She also resigned from both positions.
“When we sat down and talked to softball, it was a pattern. When we came up with a number, our jaws dropped,” Dillinger said in an interview Thursday, adding that they then contacted Brownsville Area School District Superintendent Dr. Keith Hartbauer.
At the time, O’Hern was also a school director on the district’s school board. She submitted a letter of resignation in September.
Hartbauer did not return a message seeking comment.
Rechichar said that after O’Hern resigned and he became treasurer, they did a full accounting of their bank statements. According to court records, they found 59 improper transactions totaling $8,852.50.
“Her father met me and repaid what she took from us. We’re lucky in the sense that we get our money back, and we appreciate that,” Rechichar said.
For Rechichar, learning of the misappropriated funds brought on a range of emotions.
“It’s unfortunate for the girls that played in the organization the last four years who didn’t get gifts or parties because they were told we didn’t have the funds,” he said.
The biggest issue for the clubs going forward will be regaining the trust of the community. Rechichar said it is incumbent on them to rebuild that trust.
“Businesses and people are just naturally going to be reluctant to give their money to the organization as a donation because of what happened,” Rechichar said. “We need to do something on our end to get the softball organization in a positive light.”
According to Dillinger, they are already hearing questions like, “How do I know that one of you guys aren’t going to pull the same thing?”
“It’s a huge trust breaker. Folks don’t like to be taken advantage of, and folks don’t like to be lied to,” Dillinger said.
Both clubs already have implemented changes in how they handle finances. Rechichar said they now require two signatures on checks, and Dillinger is sending board members copies of checks and weekly statements.
O’Hern was arraigned on the charges before District Judge Richard Kasunic II Tuesday morning. She is free on $10,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Feb. 28.