Allegheny County, PA, sheriff's deputy arrested on felony theft charges
An Allegheny County Sheriff’s deputy was arrested Thursday on felony theft charges, accused of pocketing more than $10,000 he’d collected from a defendant as part of a civil court case.
Deputy Donald M. Modrick, who was hired in 2001, worked in the sheriff’s writ division, and part of his job was to collect money from defendants in civil cases after a judge ordered the defendant to pay the plaintiff.
Typically, deputies collect money from defendants, then turn the money into the sheriff’s office, which, in 10 days time, gives the money to the plaintiffs, Chief Deputy Kevin Kraus said Thursday. However, Mr. Modrick kept money he collected from at least one woman, according to a criminal complaint.
Investigators believe Mr. Modrick, a personal friend of Ms. Cochrane’s, collected 18 checks from the woman -- which she made out to him -- and deposited the funds in his personal bank account instead of handing them over to the sheriff’s office. Ms. Cochrane also made several cash payments to Mr. Modrick -- believing she was paying the court-ordered judgments.
The sheriff’s office learned of the allegations on April 27, Chief Deputy Kraus said, after an attorney for one of the granite companies raised concern that the company had not received any payments from Buono Bros.
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/region/2018/05/10/Allegheny-County-Sheriffs-deputy-Donald-Modrick-arrested-felony-theft-charges/stories/201805100102
