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Press Release

Murrysville Woman Charged In Two Schemes To Steal Money

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Westmoreland County has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of mail fraud, credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

The seven-count indictment named Dawn Penzera-Lackey, 40, of Murrysville, Pa., as the sole defendant.

According to the indictment presented to the court, after having previously been convicted of credit card fraud in 2006, Penzera-Lackey engaged in two new schemes to steal money. In the first scheme, while employed as a food manager at a country club, Penzera-Lackey stole an $1800 check from her employer that she was supposed to use to pay a vendor. After depositing the check into her personal bank account, Penzera-Lackey attempted to defraud the vendor by mailing to the vendor a bogus check drawn on an account that had long been closed. In the second scheme, Penzera-Lackey stole three credit cards from friends, who were owners of a small business. Penzera-Lackey then used the credit cards to make various purchases for herself and family members totaling over $16,000.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison as to each count of mail fraud and credit card fraud, a fine of $250,000, or both and a mandatory minimum sentence of two years imprisonment for the aggravated identity theft counts. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Tonya Sulia Goodman is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The United States Secret Service conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case in conjunction with the Belle Acres Borough Police Department and the Pennsylvania State Police, Belle Vernon Barracks.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Updated July 14, 2015