Police: Ashland caretaker forged checks, spent $3,000 from victim's bank account

ASHLAND — A 26-year-old woman is facing multiple felony charges for allegedly spending nearly $3,000 from another woman's bank account over a two-to-four-week span.

Leann Adell Cassel, of Walnut Street, Ashland, was charged by Ralpho Township Patrolman David Tomtishen with a second-degree felony of forgery and third-degree felonies of access device fraud, financial exploitation of an older adult or care-dependent person, theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.

According to a criminal complaint, Cassel allegedly used Carmella Fallon's checkbook and bank cards to write herself checks and make purchases for herself while working as Fallon's home health aide through EmmUCare. Cassel was her daily caretaker at Fallon's Elysburg home.

M&T Bank contacted Fallon's family on Jan. 21 because bank representatives recognized fraudulent activity in Fallon's account.

According to information acquired from M&T Bank, two suspicious checks in the amounts of $1,500 and $115 were written to Cassel. The bank also flagged a $517.50 payment to Dirt Cheap Cars, two purchases from Temu totalling $56.89, two purchases from Walmart totalling $98.28 and two ATM withdrawals totaling $530 on Fallon's account.

A total of $2,817.67 had been taken from Fallon's accounts, according to the criminal complaint.

During an interview on Feb. 2, Fallon told Tomtishen that she was released from Sunbury rehabilitation on Dec. 29, 2025, and returned to her home. She required medical assistance, and Cassel was assigned to aid her.

Fallon said she asked Cassel for help in paying her rent. Cassel allegedly wrote the check and Fallon signed it.

Fallon was notified by M&T Bank that a $1,500 check had been cashed. She said her bank card was missing from her purse. M&T Bank froze her accounts and issued her a new bank card, according to the criminal complaint.

Cassel gave Fallon front slides for her walker one day and said she wanted to pay Cassel for them. Cassel said the slides cost $15. Fallon wrote a check to Cassel, but believed Cassel had altered the check to $1,500.

Fallon told police she did not make any orders through Temu or Walmart.

During the investigation, police learned that Cassel's mother-in-law had purchased a 1999 Ford F-150 from Dirt Cheap Cars, Shamokin. A $517.50 payment was called in via phone and applied to the account on Jan. 19.

Cassel allegedly told EmmUCare that when she "writes checks, she doesn't always remember," and that she spoke to Fallon's bank several times. The EmmUCare human resources manager told Cassel that assisting with financial matters, communicating with a client's bank or reviewing bank statements were outside the scope of her role as a home health aide, and only Fallon or her power of attorney should be communicating with the bank.

Cassel then told EmmUCare that she spoke with the bank about a check she received from Fallon. Cassel said the check was written to her as a reimbursement for bendable straws, walker parts and food.

The check was written out for $115, but the written words reflected $1,500, according to the criminal complaint.

During an interview with Tomtishen on March 10, Cassel said she wrote the numeric and written monetary amounts on the check, but Fallon signed the check. She said the check was not wrong, was deposited and she spent the money.

When asked about the payment to Dirt Cheap Cars, Cassel said Fallon gave her permission to use the bank card, she did not take Fallon's bank cards and the transaction was completed in front of the victim.

Cassel later admitted to using Fallon's bank card at an ATM in Elysburg and Ashland. She attempted to use the card in Shamokin, but it did not work. Cassel attempted to make purchases on Temu and Walmart, but she never received the purchases, according to the criminal complaint.

Cassel was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge William Cole on Tuesday. She was remanded to the Northumberland County Jail in lieu of $10,000 straight cash bail. Surety bonds were posted on her behalf on Wednesday.

A preliminary hearing is set for April 8.