CLEARFIELD – The former director of Clearfield County Children, Youth and Family Services is facing criminal charges.
Lisa Dohner of Clearfield is charged with theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, tampering with public records or information, conflict of interest and related charges.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, the investigation began in March of 2006, shortly after Dohner’s employment was terminated by the county. Investigators learned that Clearfield County Commissioner Mark McCracken and then-Commissioner Rex Read had began in inquiry into the case.
The commissioners examined Dohner’s submission for mileage reimbursement. According to the complaint the county has a system where a county employee who uses their own vehicle for work-related travel receives reimbursement.
State police obtained a copy of Dohner’s itemized account of expenses forms from the Clearfield County Controller’s office as well as a copy of reimbursement checks paid to Dohner for the months in question. The investigation revealed that Dohner submitted mileage reimbursement on six occasions for trips that she reportedly did not take. She received reimbursement for five trips. Police stated that she was caught the sixth time and was not reimbursed.
The first statement police investigated was for December 2004. Dohner submitted a claim for a 360 miles, round-trip to Erie in the amount of $135. She received her check on Jan. 5, 2005. Police spoke with someone at the center that Dohner reportedly went to, and that person told police that visitors had to sign in. She told police that there was no record of Dohner signing in.
The second submission investigated was Dohner’s itemized account form for January 2005. On that form she claimed a 383 miles trip to Erie. She claimed $155.12 in reimbursement. On Feb. 12, 2005 she was issued her check. Police spoke with a person at the Sarah Reed Center in Erie who stated that all visitors must sign in, and that there was no record of Dohner signing in on Jan. 28.
The third claim investigated was for October 2005. Dohner stated on that form that on Oct. 6, 2005, she took a 115 miles, round-trip to a PATSIS meeting in Clarion. She claimed $55.78 in reimbursement. On Nov. 18, 2005 she was issued her check. Police spoke with a woman from Community Count Services who was at the meeting. That woman told police that Dohner was not at the meeting.
The fourth submission investigated was for December 2005. She claimed that on Dec. 1, 2005 she traveled 110 miles, round trip to a Clarion psychiatric facility. She claimed $53.35 for reimbursement. On Feb. 6, 2006 she received her reimbursement. Police spoke with a person at the Clarion Psychiatric Hospital who informed them that all visitors must sign in. They also informed police that there was no record of Dohner signing in.
The fifth submission investigated was for January 2006. Dohner claimed on that form to have traveled 280 miles, round-trip to Harrisburg to attend a Children and Youth conference. She claimed $124.60 for that trip. Police said that she received that check. Police also spoke with Chuck Songer, executive director of the Pennsylvania Children and Youth Administrators. Police said he checked the sign-in sheets for all three days and that Dohner did not sign in on any of those days.
The sixth submission investigated was from February 2006. In that form Dohner claimed that on Feb. 15, 2006 she traveled 244 miles round-trip to Pittsburgh for a court hearing. Before the county reimbursed her for this trip, Read spoke with a county employee who told him that she went to Pittsburg, not Dohner. This time the county did not reimburse Dohner.
According to court records the commissioners also inquired about money that was missing from an informal “Dress Down” fund at CYS. Police spoke with several CYS employees who described the process as follows: by paying a dollar or more into the fund a CYS employee could wear jeans to work on Fridays. Between 15-20 employees took part in the event weekly between 2004 and 2005. Dohner was reported to have controlled the funds, which were to be donated to charities.
When the commissioners began their investigation to determine what happened to the funds, Dohner reportedly gave copies of thank-you cards to McCracken. The cards reportedly appeared to be signed in handwriting and were supposedly from the Red Cross, Central PA Community Action, the SPCA and the American Cancer Society. Police said that all were of a type that could be purchased in a store. There were no formal, pre-printed, official thank-you cards or receipts from any of the organizations.
The state police received copies of those cards then contacted the organizations. A bookkeeper with the Red Cross checked her records and found no record of a donation from CYS from 2002 on. Police also showed an official from the Red Cross the card that was provided to the commissioners from Dohner. That official stated that the Red Cross does not send cards like the one she was shown.
Police also spoke with an official from CPCA. She was also shown the thank-you card. She told police that there was no record of any donation from CYS in that timeframe and that she was not familiar with the card in question.
Police spoke with a representative from the SPCA who searched their records and found no record of any donation associated with CYS. The representative also told police that she did not recognize the thank-you card.
Police then spoke with a representative from the American Cancer Society. She checked their records and found no record of a donation from CYS. She also examined the thank-you card and stated that her organization did not send that card.
Dohner’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 14 at 10 a.m.
