Local treasurer spent $1K a day on lottery tickets with stolen funds from church group, DA says

Antoinette Hodge, the treasurer of Uniontown who was charged last year by then-Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro for allegedly stealing $106,000 in taxpayer funds while in office, is now facing more charges.

Fayette County District Attorney Richard Bower said Hodge “substantially depleted” the funds of the Youghiogheny Western Baptist Association, where she was a chair of the trustee board, with the first incident happening in July 2018 and continuing through the pandemic.

The YWBA is an organization that represents some Baptist churches in Fayette, Westmoreland, Greene, and Allegheny counties, as well as a church in Morgantown, W.Va.

Bower announced 38 felony charges and one misdemeanor charge against Hodge Thursday morning after a complaint was filed with his office in February.

Bower said while Hodge did not have authorization to sign checks, she reportedly wrote several fraudulent checks, forging the signatures of those who were authorized to sign them, writing them out to ‘cash.’

“No reasonable business person would pay for expenses and services such as utilities, taxes, telephone services, water service, by making checks payable to cash, and then getting the money,” Bower said.

In all, Bower said Hodge stole more than $112,000, depleting the YWBA’s accounts, and putting them in debt.

Hodge, who had oversight of the organization’s post office box, allegedly hid all late notices for invoices and bills to cover her tracks.

Bower said in a three-year period, Hodge gambled more than $144,000 at Lady Luck Casino at Nemacolin, but stopped gambling there after an apparent incident with an employee.

The district attorney added an employee of a local convenience store reported Hodge spent more than $1,000 a day on Pennsylvania Lottery games at her store alone.

Channel 11′s Andrew Havranek spoke with Hodge’s attorney, who said Hodge maintains her innocence.

Despite this second round of charges, Hodge remains the treasurer of Uniontown. She is on the Democratic primary ballot for the May 16 election. Her attorney said she is still actively running for that office.

Havranek also spoke with the Fayette County Solicitor, asking whether or not these charges could prevent Hodge from holding office if convicted. The solicitor couldn’t comment but directed us to Article Two, Section Seven of the Pennsylvania Constitution.

Section Two, Article Seven reads, “No person hereafter convicted of embezzlement of public money, bribery, perjury or other infamous crime, shall be eligible to the General Assembly, or capable of holding any office of trust or profit in this Commonwealth.”

The City of Uniontown’s solicitor, Tim Witt, sent Channel 11 the following statement:

“We can confirm that the City was notified earlier today of the additional charges filed against City Treasurer Antoinette Hodge. We understand that these charges, although similar, are for her actions as a member of a private organization and are unrelated to the prior charges filed against her for her conduct as City Treasurer. Given her status as an elected official, Ms. Hodge remains in her position as City Treasurer. However, following the prior criminal investigation and charges against her, the City implemented robust and extensive safeguards to ensure the protection of City and taxpayer funds in the Treasurer’s Office. Despite a formal request from City Council, Ms. Hodge has refused to resign from that position. Under Pennsylvania law, an elected City Treasurer may be removed only by action at the state level or upon conviction for a felony or similar crime. Consequently, the City has formally requested that state officials take all actions necessary to remove Ms. Hodge from office and, therefore, the public’s trust. The City will continue to closely monitor her Office and this situation for the protection and interests of its residents.”

Hodge is due in court for both investigations on May 24.

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