City Council secretary charged with stealing Social Security checks

A longtime secretary for City Council has been charged with multiple counts of theft and other crimes after being accused of stealing Social Security checks from an elderly woman in her care.

Nancy Gonzalez, 51, was arrested Tuesday at her Philadelphia home. She has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Monday.

The investigation, first reported in the Philadelphia Daily News, began when police officers discovered 88-year-old Iris Galarza living in filth and squalor in her Kensington home.

Investigators later determined that Gonzalez, who was the person responsible for receiving Galarza's checks, had stolen $24,688 since 2008, according to the Daily News.

Gonzalez, a city employee for 32 years, worked as a secretary under former Council President Anna C. Verna, who retired this year, and retained her position under new President Darrell L. Clarke.

Among her responsibilities was producing commendations and declarations for Council members. Gonzalez, whose salary was about $60,000, had no access to city finances.

Jane Roh, a spokeswoman for Clarke, said Clarke wanted to learn more about the charges and speak to Gonzalez before making a decision on her job status.