Convicted

Former Uniontown Treasurer Convicted of Embezzlement

Former Uniontown Treasurer Convicted of Embezzlement

**HARRISBURG, PA** – Attorney General Michelle Henry has announced the conviction of Antoinette Hodge, a former treasurer of Uniontown city, for embezzling around $106,000 in taxpayer funds between 2020 and 2021. A jury in Fayette County found Hodge guilty of multiple charges, including theft by unlawful taking and perjury.

The case was referred to the Office of Attorney General by the Fayette County District Attorney and was jointly investigated by the Attorney General’s Office and the Forty-Eighth Statewide Investigating Grand Jury. Hodge is scheduled for sentencing on November 21.

Attorney General Henry commented on the verdict, emphasizing the importance of prosecuting such crimes to uphold the integrity of local government. She affirmed her office’s commitment to protecting taxpayers from abuse of power by elected officials.

Hodge, who became Uniontown’s Treasurer in 2019, failed to deposit cash received by the tax office for personal use. It was revealed during the trial that she spent over $1,500 daily on lottery games. She has since lost her re-election bid and the case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Kara Rice.

Bergen County Man Convicted in Armed Robbery Cases

Bergen County Man Convicted in Armed Robbery Cases

**Jersey City, NJ -** A jury in Hudson County has convicted a Bergen County man for his role in several armed robberies across the county in 2022. The decision was reached on Tuesday following a two-week trial.

Joel Krecz, 37, from Hackensack, was found guilty of numerous charges, including four counts of Armed Robbery, one count of Robbery, five counts of Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, five counts of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, and five counts of Theft. He also faced charges of Aggravated Assault and Possession of Prohibited Weapons related to large capacity ammunition and hollow point bullets. However, Krecz was acquitted on one count of Aggravated Assault. The trial took place under the supervision of the Honorable John A. Young.

The incidents occurred between late Friday, April 29, 2022, and early Saturday, April 30, 2022. In these robberies, a handgun was used to demand money from business clerks. A collaborative investigation by local police departments and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Gangs Task Force identified Krecz as