Former President Of Wyoming Area Education Association

     The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Lisa Barrett, age 48, of Shavertown, Luzerne County, pleaded guilty on October 2, before Senior U.S. District Court Judge James M. Munley, to a felony Information which charged her with embezzlement of funds from a labor organization.

     According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, Barrett is the past president of the Wyoming Area Education Association (WAEA) and admitted to converting in excess of $30,000 in funds of the labor union to her own use from 2006 to 2012.  Barrett resigned as president of WAEA in March 2013.

     The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara.

     Senior Judge Munley ordered that a presentence investigation take place.  Sentencing has been scheduled for January 8, 2014.

     A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

     In this case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is imprisonment for five years, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public, and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs.  For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.