“I want you to see what the inside of a cell looks like,” county Judge Michael Piecuch told Leann M. Fisher, 48, of New Columbia, as he sentenced her Thursday.
Her attorney Rachel Wiest-Benner told the judge she had $200,000 in her law firm’s escrow account, had a receipt that $78,000 had been transferred from a bank account and was told $100,000 from a credit union would be deposited by the end of the day.After speaking with representatives of the White Deer Volunteer Fire Co., District Attorney D. Peter Johnson and Wiest-Benner revised the plea agreement so Fisher has until 4 p.m. Monday to pay the full amount.
He accepted the plea agreement to facilitate the fire company getting the money it needed for a rescue truck that is on order, he explained. When Piecuch asked her why she took the money she said it was to pay bills. Interjected Johnson, “Because she is a thief.” The theft caused loss of trust in the community along with concerns about future fundraising, Fire Chief Kevin Koch said.
Fisher verified funds she had stolen of which investigators were unaware, the lawyer said. “You didn’t help until your hand got caught in the cookie jar,” was the judge’s response. The only two people who had access to the funds were Rod Cromley, the fire company president, and Fisher.