Police: Secretary stole $55,000

Tyrone-area woman accused of forging checks from program run by Scottish Rite that tutors dyslexic children

By Phil Ray, pray@altoonamirror.com
[Crime Center: View charges online]

A Blair County woman who worked as a secretary for an organization that operates a learning center to tutor children with dyslexia has been charged with stealing more than $55,000 from the program.

Angelina Kay Reed, 28, of Tyrone RD 5 is accused of theft, access device fraud, receiving stolen property and forgery.

Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 9 before Magisterial District Judge Joseph Moran.

The reading program is sponsored by the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite/ Valley of Altoona, an organization associated with the Jaffa Shrine. For several years, the group has operated the Altoona Masonic Learning Center for Children with Dyslexia on the 1400 block of 11th Avenue.

‘‘It’s been a big financial blow to our whole financial structure,’’ said J. David Kline, Scottish Rite secretary.

The Scottish Rite office was a two-person operation: Kline and Reed.

Altoona police charge that from May 23, 2005, two months after Reed was hired as office secretary, to Oct. 18, 2007, Reed forged 109 checks totaling $55,400 from the Scottish Rite account.

She wrote the checks to herself, but in the organization’s records, the checks were listed for what appeared to be legitimate expenditures, Kline said.

In addition, as part of her job, Reed was issued an American Express credit card to pay for business expenses.

An affidavit of probable cause attached to the police complaint indicates that in June, Kline discovered that Reed had used the card for $600 to $700 in personal expenses.

When Kline asked her about the charges, Reed said she had an emergency and that it would not occur again.

Later, Kline found an outstanding balance on the card of $15,871. He then canceled her as an authorized user and reported the unauthorized charges to the card’s fraud department.

In all, police determined that Reed piled up $20,598 in expenses on the credit card, plus $1,343 in late charges.

Kline said he hasn’t talked to Reed since she was fired in October.

‘‘I don’t know what she used the money for. ... I don’t really care. I’d just like to have the money back,’’ he said.

Police learned that Reed had a weekly take-home pay of $116 when she started with the program, and her wage increased to $145 within several months.

Scottish Rite primarily collects funds for the dyslexia program from dues paid by members who live between Pittsburgh and Coudersport, Kline said.

‘‘I don’t know how we are going to make up our losses,’’ he said. ‘‘We’ll continue [as an organization] to exist.’’

The Mirror was unable to contact Reed Wednesday.

Mirror Staff Writer Phil Ray is at 946-7468.