By Joe Nixon
Morning Call (Allentown, Pennsylvania)
Copyright 2006 The Morning Call, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
The former director of operations at the Forks Township Emergency Squad was charged Wednesday with taking more than $21,000 from the organization and using a squad-issued credit card to buy items for her home that included a washer and dryer, and a chest freezer.
The arrest of Cory S. Dailey, 33, of Fountain Hill, who township police say admitted taking the money, ended a police investigation that started in July.
Dailey, of 925 Delaware Ave., was arraigned before District Judge Ralph Litzenberger of Palmer Township and released on $25,000 unsecured bail.
The crimes occurred between Feb. 3 and July 6, according to the charges.
Dailey was hired by the squad in February and left in mid-July. At the time, squad officials said they could not comment on her departure or whether it was related to the police probe. Dailey’s husband, Mike Dailey, is a former squad board member and also left at that time. Forks police Detective Richard D. Grifo said no one else will be charged.
Cory Dailey’s attorney, Norman E. Blatt Jr. of Allentown, entered a not guilty plea on Dailey’s behalf. Dailey, a mother of three who works part time at a Wawa in Fountain Hill, quickly left Litzenberger’s office after the arraignment.
Blatt said he had no comment on the case because he hadn’t had time to study the charges.
“I’d like to have time to talk to the district attorney about the charges,” Blatt told Litzenberger.
Dailey is charged with three counts of access device fraud and 19 counts each of theft by unlawful taking or disposition, theft by deception, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds received, and misapplication of entrusted property and property of government of financial institutions.
According to the arrest affidavit, Dailey met with police Nov. 9 and “fully admitted to inflating her own paychecks and writing multiple payroll checks to herself for the same pay period.” In addition, court papers said Dailey admitted to using the squad credit card to buy personal items and didn’t attempt to pay anything back.
The emergency squad suspended operations in July amid financial problems. Palmer Township-based Suburban EMS has been providing basic and advanced life support in Forks since the Forks squad stopped operations.
“None of us on the current board were there during any of this happening,” said Bill Keifer Jr. of Tatamy, a life member of the squad who, along with others, is trying to resurrect the Forks operation.
He said an application has been submitted to the state to restart as a basic life support service. Previously, Forks offered both basic and advanced life support to the township and neighboring Stockertown.
Keifer added that his son, Michael, is serving as director of operations for Forks and is working to help resolve the financial situation, including trying to recoup past due charges for services.
“I’m hoping this doesn’t hurt the progress we’ve made in the past couple months,” Bill Keifer said. Squad officials in August said there were about $700,000 in uncollected charges, but estimated it would be able to retrieve only about 15 percent.
According to the affidavit, the police probe started in early July when a squad employee was unable to buy gasoline with a squad credit card. The organization learned the account had been closed because the bill had not been paid. Police said they found “numerous bills and correspondence” left unopened in Dailey’s desk, mail dating back to February when she was hired.
The affidavit said Dailey was the only person responsible for accounts receivable, accounts payable and payroll.
Police said Dailey wrote checks to herself and cashed them, resulting in a $21,467 loss.
It was also alleged Dailey used a Sam’s Club credit card issued to her by the squad to buy a vacuum, as well as the freezer and washer and dryer.