RANSOM TWP. - Just over two months after state police arrested her, a former township secretary Monday pleaded guilty to theft charges.
At a final pretrial conference held in front of Judge Michael Barrasse, Kathy Zielinski, who is accused of stealing close to $100,000 from the township's coffers, pleaded guilty to a second-degree felony count of theft by unlawful taking, township solicitor Edmund Scacchitti said. Lackawanna County Deputy District Attorney Shane Scanlon confirmed the guilty plea.
Mr. Scacchitti said he didn't know whether a sentencing date has been set.
"The court will be balancing between the fact that there may be no prior criminal history, versus the severity of the charges," said Mr. Scacchitti in response to a resident's question about the possible length of her sentence. "The charges are serious."
After 18 years as township secretary, Ms. Zielinski resigned in March - days after a township audit of 2011 finances revealed thousands of dollars were misappropriated.
On Sept. 25, state police at Dunmore arrested her on theft charges amounting to $99,228.84.
Mr. Scacchitti said he is hopeful the township will recoup some of the money lost through the bonding company and other sources.
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