State police have charged a New Florence woman with theft following an investigation into stolen funds from the United Band Boosters.
Troopers say 55-year-old Lara Lee Brown was charged with felony counts of theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds received, and stolen property for an incident dating back to December 21.
On that day, members of the Troop A barracks were notified that more than $50,000 was stolen from the United Music Booster Club bank account, and while gathering information, they learned that Brown had served as treasurer from approximately July 2019 to December 28 of last year.
Through an investigation, police determined that Brown had written checks to herself, made ATM withdrawals, and purchased items from different businesses without documentation or purpose to serve the club or students at United School District. Troopers add that Brown had changed the address for statements and correspondence to her home address.
State police say that financial records showed more than $50,000 in funding was stolen between August 20, 2019 and December 21, 2022. The funds were raised by approximately 134 students and were to benefit the marching band trip to Walt Disney World.
Brown was arraigned before District Judge Robert Bell, Sr., Tuesday morning and is lodged in Indiana County Jail in lieu of $100,000 cash bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 22 at 11 a.m.
The official news release is below: courtesy of Pennsylvania State Police-Indiana.
Arrest Made in Theft of Funds from United Music Boosters Club
East Wheatfield Township, PA – Troopers today arrested a New Florence woman accused of stealing in excess of $50,000 from the United Music Boosters Club.
Lara Lee Brown, 55, was charged with felony counts of theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds received, and receiving stolen property. Brown was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Robert S. Bell, Sr. and was remanded to the Indiana County Jail in lieu of $100,000 monetary bail.
On December 21, 2022, Troop A, Indiana received a report of the theft of funds from the United Music Boosters Club bank account. In gathering information, troopers learned that Brown had served as treasurer of the United Music Boosters Club from approximately July, 2019 to December 28, 2022. Through investigation, Brown was determined to have written checks to herself, made ATM withdrawals, and purchased items from various businesses, none of which were documented or had a purpose to serve the United Music Boosters Club or students of United School District. It was also learned that Brown had changed the United Music Boosters club address for statements and correspondence to her home address. Upon reviewing financial records and surveillance video, troopers determined that Brown stole in excess of $50,000 from the United Music Boosters Club from August 20, 2019 to December 21, 2022.
A total of 134 students were reported to have fundraised and deposited money into the United Music Boosters Club account over the course of several years as savings for a student trip planned for March, 2023.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 22 at 11:00 a.m. For more information on the Pennsylvania State Police, visit psp.pa.gov.
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