Treasurer charged with embezzling $50K

Posted by Press Release on August 6, 2019

Delaware County District Attorney Kat Copeland and Nether Providence Police Chief David Splain announced the arrest of Terrea Faith Stubbs, 43, treasurer for the South Media Fire Co., for embezzling over $50,000 from the fire company between April 2018 and August 2019.

Stubbs, of Media, has been charged with theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, receiving stolen property, forgery, access device fraud, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds, all felonies of the second degree, and criminal use of a communication facility, a felony of the third degree. The investigation was conducted by Detective Michael Erickson of the Nether Providence Police Department and Detective Michele Deery of the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney William Judge, Jr.

Stubbs was charged following an investigation which began in July 2019, when the Nether Providence Police Department received information that money was being stolen by an active member of the South Media Fire Co.

Deery and Erickson commenced an investigation and spoke with South Media Fire Chief Hopkins who advised that Stubbs was a volunteer member of their fire company for approximately two years and in May of 2018 she became their treasurer. Stubbs’ responsibilities included paying the bills, depositing cash funds, and maintaining the financial records.

In May 2019, the fire company noticed a discrepancy in a cash deposit. A review of the fire company’s records beginning in May 2018 revealed various unauthorized cash withdrawals and online charges to the company credit card. In mid-July 2019, the fire company had a board meeting regarding the missing fire company funds. During the course of this meeting, Chief Hopkins received a text message from Stubbs stating, “Please accept my apology for abusing your trust in me as treasurer.” Stubbs further stated, “I will repay every dollar – I cannot go to jail.”

On July 24, 2019, Erickson and Deery interviewed Stubbs who said she began volunteering at the South Media Firehouse in 2018 and had been treasurer for over a year. Stubbs admitted that she used the firehouse credit card to make unauthorized cash withdrawals and purchases, spending the money on online gambling, lottery tickets, and paying her personal household bills. She also admitted to repeatedly forging the signature of a second signatory that was required on the account.

Law enforcement’s review of financial records showed that Stubbs used the firehouse credit card to make unauthorized cash withdrawals and purchases, while also writing over 40 checks on the firehouse bank accounts addressed to herself. Investigation further revealed Stubbs stole cash that was received by the fire company as a result of fundraisers and donations that were never deposited into bank accounts. A financial analysis shows that Stubbs stole a total of $50,937.89 from the South Media Fire Company.

Stubbs was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Deborah A. Krull who set bail at $25,000 unsecured. The preliminary hearing is scheduled before District Judge Krull on Aug. 19, 2019.