Former Gregg Township secretary faces new theft charges in Union County
The former Gregg Township secretary who was recently sentenced for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the township to fund a gambling addiction and cover personal expenses is now facing new felony theft charges in Union County.
Charges were filed against Pamela Hackenburg, of Millmont, on Monday in Union County, according to a criminal docket. NorthcentralPA.com reported that she’s accused of stealing more than $50,000 from an American Legion in Mifflinburg, where she volunteered as a treasurer/bookkeeper for about a year starting in September 2023. When she started, the outlet reported she said the books were disorganized from a previous treasurer and she filed a report alleging money was missing. But that was a tactic to set herself up to be able to steal money, the outlet reported.
As treasurer, she gave her own financial reports at board meetings, which showed accounts were in good standing, and was the one responsible for handling cash and the safe, NorthcentralPA.com reported. Board members eventually learned she was writing checks to the Legion from her accounts, which investigators said she used to cover cash she had taken from the nightly deposits.
NorthcentralPA.com reported that Hackenburg resigned in August 2024 after being confronted by board members, and an audit conducted for Sept. 1, 2023 through Dec. 31, 2024 showed she allegedly stole from the Legion at least 42 times, totaling about $50,000. Police said she disputed the amount but said she took money.
Police filed three felony charges for theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property and theft by failure to make required disposition of funds received, and three misdemeanor charges.
Hackenburg was arraigned Monday by Union County Magisterial District Judge Jeffrey Mensch and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Oct. 14.
Just last week, Hackenburg was sentenced to at least two years in state prison for stealing nearly $533,000 from Gregg Township in Centre County, where she worked as the township secretary/treasurer. She was charged in November after state police at Rockview said troopers were contacted about missing funds from the township’s accounts.
Hackenburg stole nearly $533,000 from the township between March 2019 and May 2024 and spent much of the money gambling with DraftKings.
She 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.
