Jacqueline Bucco, 46, of Telford (Credit: Hilltown Police)
A Telford woman has been arrested and charged with 11 felonies for allegedly embezzling more than $20,000 from a Parent-Teacher Organization at a Hilltown Township elementary school while volunteering as its treasurer.
Jacqueline Bucco, 46, was charged Thursday 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.
In June 2023, the PTO at J.M. Grasse Elementary School, located at 600 Rickert Road, came to the Hilltown Township Police Department after the PTO bank account was found to be depleted on 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 allege 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.
A preliminary hearing is set for July 1 at 1 p.m. before Armitage.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
