harrisburg >> A Berks County district judge has been accused of stealing more than $100,000 in separate thefts from his court office and a local fire company.
Timothy M. Dougherty, 56, of 1887 Brandywine Road, Wyomissing, is facing criminal charges after authorities say he is accused of stealing $15,000 from the court where he presides in West Reading in addition to more than $90,000 from a volunteer fire company, according to a press release issued by the Pennsylvania Attorney General.
A grand jury recommended the criminal charges after reviewing evidence and testimony that showed the alleged thefts.
Investigators filed a search warrant at Dougherty’s district court in October, according to a presentment issued by the grand jury. The evidence that was seized showed that a sum of $15,251 that was paid to the court, typically from fines, restitutions and court costs, was missing. Dougherty did eventually return the money by making a single deposit, which was made 20 days after Dougherty told investigators he did not have the missing money. The deposit was also made a day before Dougherty was subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury about the missing money, authorities said.
In addition, Dougherty was also charged with stealing $97,780 over the course of seven years from Wyomissing Volunteer Fire Company while he was serving as treasurer. A review of the company’s accounts and reports submitted by Dougherty contained “numerous discrepancies,” according to the Office of the Attorney General. Listed balances in the reports often did not reflect the actual amount of money in the fire company’s account, the grand jury said.
Dougherty’s personal bank accounts were reviewed by a forensic accountant as part of the investigation and the review showed that his accounts were often overdrawn and that he failed to pay his monthly bills, authorities said.
Testimony and evidence reviewed by the grand jury showed that Dougherty violated court procedures by failing to make daily bank deposits as well as failing to timely submit monthly reports to the Berks County Controller’s Office.
An audit was also done by the state Department of the Auditor General.
Dougherty has been charged with five counts of theft by deception, two counts of theft by unlawful taking and two counts of theft by receiving stolen property. He is also charged with one count each of theft by failure to make required disposition of funds and conflict of interest. He is currently awaiting a preliminary hearing.
Dougherty has served as district judge since 1998. His current term expires in 2018. District judges are elected in Pennsylvania for six-year terms and do not require to have a law degree.
The case will be prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Michelle Laucella of the Office of the Attorney General’s Criminal Prosecutions Section.