JEFFERSON CO., Pa. (EYT) — An Elk County woman who was jailed earlier this year is now facing felony forgery and related charges after she allegedly tried to interfere with a court order by asking others to lie about ownership of her personal property, according to court records.
Court documents indicate that on August 15, the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges against 57-year-old Kelly Jo Wright, of Ridgway, and currently an inmate at the Jefferson County Jail, in Magisterial District Judge Gregory M. Bazylak’s office, on the following charges:
- Forgery — Unauthorized Act In Writing, Felony 3
- Tampering With Records Or Identification — Writing, Misdemeanor 1
According to the criminal complaint filed against Wright, a Jefferson County detective began investigating after jail phone calls and a letter from Wright raised concerns she was attempting to circumvent a temporary restraining order issued on July 8, 2025. The order froze Wright’s personal property stored at a Reynoldsville residence.
The complaint states that, in multiple recorded jail calls in July, Wright allegedly instructed a woman to falsely claim ownership of items, including a horse, ATV, mower, and gun safe, by telling the owner of the residence that they were given to him as payment for a debt.
In one call, Wright reportedly told the woman, “Call [the homeowner] and tell him to call the courthouse and say that I gave him all of the property.” She also allegedly said, “I gave you the horse over a year ago. You remember when I gave you that for the money I owed you,” according to the complaint.
The complaint also notes that the homeowner later told detectives Wright had never told him she was giving him the property and that he had only agreed to store her belongings.
Detectives also reported that Wright mailed a letter to the woman, with instructions to pass a fabricated note to the homeowner stating the items were payment for a debt. The known woman ultimately gave the letter to authorities and said she did not want to be involved in Wright’s alleged plan, according to the complaint.
It was noted that Wright wrote in the letter that the note “was not real” and that she only wanted to avoid having the court seize her property, the complaint continues.
Wright remains jailed at the Jefferson County Correctional Facility.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 11 at 11:15 a.m. in front of Judge Bazylak.
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