Delco Fire Company Treasurer Embezzled $50K: District Attorney

MEDIA, PA — The South Media Fire Company's treasurer has been arrested for allegedly embezzling more than $50,000 from the company, according to Delaware County authorities.

Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun Copeland and Nether Providence Police Chief David Splain Tuesday announced the arrest of Terrea Faith Stubbs, 43, Treasurer for the South Media Fire Company, for embezzling over $50,000 from the fire company between April 2018 and August 2019.

Stubbs, 43, has been charged with theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, receiving stolen property, forgery, access device fraud, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds, all felonies of the second degree, and criminal use of a communication facility, a felony of the third degree.

The charges stem from an investigation that began in July 2019, when the Nether Providence Police Department got information that money was being stolen by a member of the South Media Fire Company.

Authorities launched an investigation and spoke with South Media Fire Chief Hopkins who said Stubbs was a volunteer member of their fire company for about two years and in May of 2018 she became their treasurer. Her responsibilities included paying the bills, depositing cash funds, and maintaining the financial records.

In May 2019, the fire company noticed a discrepancy in a cash deposit. A review of the fire company’s records beginning in May 2018 showed various unauthorized cash withdrawals and online charges to the company credit card.

In mid-July 2019, the fire company had a board meeting regarding the missing fire company funds. During the meeting, Hopkins got a text message from Stubbs stating, “Please accept my apology for abusing your trust in me as treasurer,” according to the DA's office. Stubbs further stated, “I will repay every dollar – I cannot go to jail," the DA's office said.

On July 24, 2019, authorities interviewed Stubbs who she said she started volunteering at the South Media Firehouse in 2018 and had been treasurer for more than a year.

Stubbs admitted that she used the firehouse credit card to make unauthorized cash withdrawals and purchases, spending the money on online gambling, lottery tickets, and paying her personal household bills, the DA's office said. She also admitted to repeatedly forging the signature of a second signatory that was required on the account, according to the DA's office.

A financial record review showed that Stubbs used the firehouse credit card to make unauthorized cash withdrawals and purchases, while also writing over 40 checks on the firehouse bank accounts addressed to herself, the DA's office said.

The investigation further revealed Stubbs stole cash that was received by the fire company as a result of fundraisers and donations that were never deposited into bank accounts, according to the DA's office.

A financial analysis shows that Stubbs stole a total of $50,937.89 from the South Media Fire Company, the DA's office said.

Stubbs was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Deborah A. Krull who set bail at $25,000 unsecured. Her preliminary hearing is for Aug. 19.