Bucks FOP allegedy looted by 2 ex-officials
Two former officials of the union that represents Bucks County police officers were arrested yesterday and charged with stealing more than $93,000 from the union treasury.
Two former officials of the union that represents Bucks County police officers were arrested yesterday and charged with stealing more than $93,000 from the union treasury.
Katherine A. Leese, a Falls Township police officer and former treasurer of Bucks County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 53, and Gerald Conaway, a retired Upper Southampton Township officer who served as union president, were charged with theft, criminal conspiracy, and receiving stolen property.
Bucks County District Attorney Michelle A. Henry announced the arrests.
Leese, 42, of Middletown Township, is charged with transferring $87,533 from a union account to her personal account between February 2006 and June 2007. Conaway, 56, of Southampton, allegedly transferred $5,500 in union money to his personal account in the same period.
Leese was treasurer in 2006 and 2007. Conaway was president between 2002 and 2007. The president and treasurer were the only union officers who had access to the account.
The money allegedly was taken from an account used for charitable activities, including assisting the families of slain officers. The FOP's accountant discovered financial discrepancies in its accounts last year and notified police.
Henry called the alleged thefts "astounding" and a "betrayal of trust."
Leese and Conaway were arraigned yesterday in Newtown and released pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for Monday.
Conaway said "no comment" as he left the district justice offices. A visibly shaken Leese held a sheet of paper to her face and said the missing union money had been a loan that she was paying back.
Earlier, Henry said, Leese told investigators that she had used the money for mortgage and credit-card bills. According to the affidavit of probable cause, Leese called the union money a loan, contended that the transaction had been approved by Conaway, and said he had asked that money also be transferred to his account.
Conaway has denied approving such a loan and says he did not know Leese had transferred more than $80,000 from union accounts, according to the affidavit.
Leese, a nine-year veteran, was placed on administrative leave with pay effective yesterday, Falls Police Lt. Ron MacPherson said.
Conaway retired from the Upper Southampton Police Department six years ago after more than 30 years as an officer. He works full-time for a provider of funeral, cremation and cemetery services.
