Jacqueline Bucco, 46, of Telford (Credit: Hilltown Police)
All 11 felonies lodged against a Telford woman who allegedly embezzled more than $20,000 from a Hilltown Township elementary school's parent-teacher organization as its treasurer have been moved to county court following a preliminary hearing last week.
Jacqueline Bucco, 46, was charged in May 2025 by Hilltown Township authorities with a count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, four counts of forgery, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, theft by failing to make required deposits of funds, criminal use of a communication device, unlawful use of a computer-access to disrupt functions, and computer trespassing, according to charging documents.
Bucco is free on $100,000 unsecured bail, set by Magisterial District Judge Regina Armitage. All charges were waived for court at an Aug. 5 hearing.
In June 2023, representatives of the PTO at J.M. Grasse Elementary School, a Pennridge School District institution located at 600 Rickert Road, came to the Hilltown Township Police Department after the PTO bank account was found to be depleted of funds, police said.
Through a lengthy investigation, it was learned that Bucco took over the PTO’s treasurer position in September 2021. Over the course of two years, Bucco allegedly embezzled the money.
The monies that Bucco allegedly stole were funds that were collected from various PTO fundraisers throughout the school year.
Police alleged Bucco embezzled the money by issuing checks to herself and forging names of PTO board members on checks that were never approved by the board.
This case was investigated by Detective Louis Bell of the Hilltown Township Police Department and is assigned for prosecution by Chief Deputy District Attorney Marc Furber who is the Chief of Economic Crimes and Insurance Fraud.
Formal arraignment in Bucks County Common Pleas Court is set for Sept. 5. She is represented by Lower Salford attorney Vincent Petersen.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
