WILLIAMSPORT -The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on March 24, 2022, Linda Tarlecki, age 60, of Aristes, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of tax evasion, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that from 2013 through 2017 while she was as an employee and Township Supervisor of Conyngham Township, Tarlecki embezzled approximately $160,000 of township funds. The embezzlement was accomplished in part by Tarlecki writing unauthorized checks to herself from the township’s bank account and forging the signatures of other township supervisors on these checks. Tarlecki then failed to report the embezzled funds as income on her income tax returns.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the maximum penalty under federal law for each tax count is 5 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The maximum penalty for bank fraud is 30 years of imprisonment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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