Pottsville man charged with stealing $200,000 from his elderly mother

Oct. 20--PORT CARBON -- A man arrested two years ago on charges he stole more than $50,000 from the Minersville Little League was arrested Monday for allegedly stealing more than $200,000 from his elderly mother over whom he had power of attorney.

Saint Clair Police Officer Brad Blanner charged Robert Vincent Smith, 50, of 1028 Elm St., Pottsville, with one felony count each of theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds, theft by deception, identity theft and access device fraud.

Blanner said an investigation began in August 2019 when Dolores Smith, now 82, and her son Edward Smith reported they believed her other son, Robert Smith, had been misappropriating funds while acting as power of attorney. Search warrants were used to access the woman's bank account records, which werer turned over to Caroline Burnell, a certified fraud examiner and forensic accountant employed by Temple University.

Burnell determined that, between August 2016 to June 2019, a total $88,595 was transferred from an investment account to the Dolores Smith's checking account.

Blanner said Burnell determined the transfers appear to have been made in order to access the funds and conceal a theft that may have already occurred from bank accounts. She also determined that between January 2018 and June 2019, $56,900 was withdrawn from the Dolores Smith's IRA account and $49,900 deposited in her checking account. Burnell found other discrepancies and discovered that a credit card was opened in Dolores Smith's name in July 2017 and had a balance of $15,244.

Overall, Burnell found $201,545 in suspicious transactions between July 2016 and August 2019.

Blanner said his investigation alleges that Robert Smith changed the addresses on all of his mother's accounts to his personal address, likely to keep his mother from uncovering the thefts.

"Robert Smith abused his position of power of attorney for Dolores Smith," Blanner said.

Smith was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko and committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $100,000 straight cash bail.

2018 case

In November 2018, Minersville Police Patrolman Jeffrey Bowers charged Robert Smith with stealing $50,114.27 from the Minersville Little League between March 2015 and September 2018 while serving as treasurer.

Bowers charged Smith with one felony count each of theft by failure to make required disposition of funds, theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.

Bowers said the investigation led to the discovery of bank records and credit card statements that showed numerous checks were made payable to "Robert Smith." In the memo section, notations indicated the checks were purchases Smith did not need to make and was not authorized to make.

A review of credit card statements during the three-year period showed Smith was using the card for the purchase of groceries, concert tickets, vacations, sporting event tickets, hotels, alcohol and more.

Bowers said Smith also owes the little league $20 for a uniform he bought and failed to pay for.

Smith is scheduled to stand trial on the Minersville charges during the February criminal trial term in Schuylkill County Court.

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