Ex-treasurer, secretary of small Centre County township gets prison for $533K theft

A former secretary and treasurer who stole nearly $533,000 from a small township in Centre County to fund a gambling addiction and cover personal expenses was sentenced Tuesday to at least two years in state prison.

Pamela D. Hackenburg, 56, of Union County, was sentenced by Centre County Judge Katie Oliver to a maximum of four years in prison, followed by two years of probation. She was led away from the Centre County Courthouse in handcuffs.

The former Gregg Township secretary and treasurer was also ordered to pay more than $615,000 in restitution, a sum that includes the stolen money, payroll tax penalties, legal fees and more. She did not make any payments in advance of her sentencing.

Oliver adopted the sentencing recommendation from county prosecutors, which went above advisory guidelines for Hackenburg’s case. After acknowledging the crimes spanned nearly the entirety of Hackenburg’s tenure, the judge said the circumstances were “egregious.”

Hackenburg, who apologized before her sentence was handed down, sniffled as Oliver announced her decision.

Prosecutors paint picture of a greedy, selfish fraudster

Centre County Deputy District Attorney Crystal Hundt cast Hackenburg as a serial, calculated embezzler who systematically stole from Gregg Township and its taxpayers. The township has a population of about 2,260.

She had exclusive access to the township’s bank accounts, was adept in accounting and operated with minimal oversight from township supervisors who were not familiar with financial matters. Two of the three were relative novices to the position.

A state police at Rockview investigation found she exploited her position of trust by isolating herself and obfuscating or fabricating financial information to ensure her crimes went unnoticed.

In all, Hundt said Hackenburg used the township’s credit cards 3,664 times for personal gain. The fraud spanned from March 2019 — about two months after she was hired — until May 2024, when she was indefinitely suspended without pay. She was formally fired in December.

“She didn’t just steal from the employees of Gregg Township,” Hundt wrote in a memo to Oliver. “She stole from each and every taxpayer of Gregg Township.”

Hackenburg spent much of the money — $322,185 — gambling with DraftKings. She sent herself about $150,000 through the mobile payment service Venmo, Hundt said.

The investigation revealed she also spent more than $33,000 to cover personal expenses, everything from utilities and shopping to gasoline and meals. There were trips to nail salons, wine and spirits stores, pizza shops and even payments in Florida.

Hundt said Tuesday that prosecutors collected evidence that Hackenburg was still gambling as recently as a month or two ago.

“She betrayed so many individuals in that community,” Hundt said.

Trust among the rural community is strained, if not broken

Of those who spoke at Tuesday’s sentencing, Gregg Township resident Lisa Bierlein had some of the most pointed words for Hackenburg, whom she called a “chameleon” and a “predator.”

Appointed Supervisor Carol Gingrich said their lives have been in “constant turmoil.” She was appointed to fill former board Chair Charles “Charlie” Stover’s position after he died in January of what she said was a heart attack.

Neither Gingrich nor fellow Supervisor Vicky Vanada directly tied his death to the crimes, but each said they believe the stress played a role. He planned to retire in June.

Vanada also said the township is still struggling to complete road repairs that had to be delayed because of the thefts. Gregg Township is also awaiting a decision from its insurance company about how much of the losses it will cover.

Bank statements were typically mailed to Hackenburg, a trooper wrote in an affidavit of probable cause. The scheme began to unfold only when was of the statements was erroneously sent to another township employee.

Tax preparer Rhonda Sweely, who the township hired to audit its finances after Hackenburg was suspended, said Hackenburg’s office “looked like a tornado blew through.” It was disorganized, police wrote, with piles of papers and old checks that were signed but not deposited.

She pleaded guilty in July to felony counts of theft, identity theft and access device fraud. A felony charge of receiving stolen property was dropped.

An apology, plus a push for leniency

Hackenburg is a married mother of four adult children. Defense lawyer Helen Stolinas said in a memo to the judge that Hackenburg has participated in Gamblers Anonymous and mental health counseling since her arrest.

She also said Hackenburg works as a driver and is active in her church, where she leads a youth group. She does not have “significant assets,” Stolinas wrote, but is “committed to making diligent efforts to repay the amounts taken.”

Hackenburg offered a tearful apology to the township before learning her sentence, saying she was sorry for “all the hardships and problems I have caused you all.”

“It was never my intention to hurt you all. The past six years were a blur for me,” Hackenburg said. “... I am extremely disappointed in myself. I do consider myself a Christian and I am struggling to forgive myself through all of this.

“Just because I am a Christian doesn’t mean I don’t make mistakes, because we all do. I just pray some of you might find it in your hearts to forgive me.”

What has changed in Gregg Township?

The township’s supervisors have previously faced questions from taxpayers if the board was lax in its oversight. Chair Ben Haupt has expressed confidence he and his fellow supervisors have taken appropriate steps in response.

Among other measures, supervisors now regularly review bank and credit card statements and are required to pass an annual background check. The additional steps, Haupt told the Centre Daily Times during an August 2024 meeting, was one way to “help us to clean this mess up.”

Speaking Tuesday, Haupt causally brushed aside the grief and anxiety his family has dealt with since the theft was made public. He put away his prepared statement and then struck a compassionate tone.

“Here’s the thing, I hope she gets straightened out because that’s what she needs. She needs straightened out. She’s in trouble,” Haupt said. “The problem is I think she’d do it again. I hope she wouldn’t, but I think she would. I think she needs some help.

“I don’t want to see damnation and all this stuff. I want to see her get herself straightened out, get walking right. That’d be better.”

The board’s next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 9.

This story was originally published September 16, 2025 at 5:31 PM.

Bret Pallotto

Centre Daily Times

814-231-4648

Bret Pallotto primarily reports on courts and crime for the Centre Daily Times. He was raised in Mifflin County and graduated from Lock Haven University.