Ex-PTA treasurer pleads guilty

While PTA officials believe more money is missing, an audit proved $9,505.

By DENISE DICK

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

AUSTINTOWN — The former treasurer of an elementary school PTA who pleaded guilty to a reduced theft charge said the incident was a huge mistake.

Kerry Sierra, 34, of Westgate Boulevard, who served as Woodside Elementary’s PTA treasurer, was charged with theft and forgery, both felonies.

She was accused of taking money from the PTA over a two-year period.

Sierra pleaded guilty Wednesday to a misdemeanor theft charge. The forgery charge was dismissed.

As part of the plea, Sierra paid $9,505 in restitution.

Judge David D’Apolito of Mahoning County Area Court sentenced Sierra to 60 days of electronically monitored house arrest and 40 hours of community service. He also fined her $500 plus court costs.

Kenneth Cardinal, an assistant Mahoning County prosecutor, said that after conversing with PTA representatives, they decided to accept the restitution rather than have the case bound over to a Mahoning County grand jury.

The case’s going to common pleas court would have required the PTA officers to travel to downtown Youngstown, possibly multiple times.

With the plea, the PTA’s money is immediately returned, he said.

Motive

Atty. James Lanzo, who represents Sierra, told the judge he believes the primary motivation for his client’s actions was a terrible financial situation.

“It was just a huge mistake,” Sierra told the judge.

Shannon Anderson, PTA president, who along with other PTA representatives attended Wednesday’s hearing, expressed frustration with the way the court system works.

She likened Sierra’s sentence to a slap on the wrist.

“But I don’t think it’s necessary to drag it out, have it bound over and go to court downtown if the outcome is going to be the same,” Anderson said.

She put the total missing from PTA accounts at nearly $13,000 but an audit could prove only that $9,505 was unaccounted for. Some of the deposits included cash, and there’s no paper trail, the PTA president said.

“This basically consumed my whole summer,” Anderson said.

Because the PTA account balance was negative when the theft was discovered, the organization had to conduct fundraisers to get ready for the new school year.

“We’ll get through the year,” Anderson said.