BOARDMAN Doctor's former secretary faces felony charge in theft of money

The woman admitted her story was false, police said.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- A Poland woman who told police she was abducted and lost thousands of dollars over the past six months through extortion now faces a felony theft charge of taking money from her employer.
Lucille Matasic, 49, of Lee Run Road, was arraigned in Mahoning County Court here last week. Because the charge is a felony, the judge did not accept a plea. A preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 3.
Earlier this month Matasic, a secretary for Dr. John P. Popovec, 7067 Tiffany Blvd., Poland, told police she was abducted from the lobby of her workplace around 11 a.m. March 9.
What was reported: She reported that a man came into the building and forced her to leave with him, and they met an accomplice in the parking lot.
Matasic told officers that after driving around, the men pulled into a wooded area and held up a picture of her grandson that they took from her wallet.
They demanded checks, prescription pads and medicine on a monthly basis from the office where Matasic worked, she said.
Matasic said she told the men she had no access to those items and agreed to give them cash instead, according to reports.
Matasic said she handed over a check, payable to her employer, to the men that day, reports show. She said the men cashed the check at a bank in Poland. The amount of the check is not known.
Matasic told police that over the next several months, she made monthly payments of $3,000 to the men in parking lots at various stores. Some of the money was her own and some was her employer's, she said.
Admission: Sgt. Albert Kakascik said Matasic was brought back to the police station for further questioning and admitted her story was fabricated to hide the fact that money was taken from her employer.
He said her cooperation and lack of a criminal history spared her from more severe charges.
She is charged with one count of felony theft. She could have been charged with one count of theft for each forged check, the sergeant said.
The doctor's office is still calculating the total loss. Kakascik said Matasic will likely have to make restitution. She no longer works at the doctor's office.
jgoodwin@vindy.com