As the Erie Humane Society welcomes its new executive director, its former leader is tentatively scheduled to stand trial in September on charges that she stole more than $32,000 from the organization in 2023 and 2024.
The Humane Society’s former executive director, Nicole M. Leone, 42, was charged by the Millcreek Township Police Department in December with access device fraud, theft by deception and tampering with records. Two of those charges are third-degree felonies, while tampering with records is a misdemeanor.
Leone, who served in the Humane Society’s top post for more than nine years, waived a formal arraignment in February. She remains free on bond.
The case is set for trial in Erie County Common Pleas Court in September, but Leone’s lawyer, Chad Vilushis, said he is reviewing evidence in the pretrial process known as discovery as he and Leone decide what to do next.
“We continue to examine the discovery that has been sent to us by the District Attorney’s Office,” Vilushis said. “Once that process is complete, we can then thoroughly discuss a potential resolution.”
The trial has been rescheduled twice.
Leone resigned from the Humane Society in November. The organization on Aug. 1 named Joe Lang, a former Erie broadcaster and media executive, as its executive director.
Two longtime Humane Society employees served as interim co-executive directors following Leone’s departure.
Police claim Leone used two Erie Humane Society credit cards to make 139 unauthorized charges that totaled $23,582.27 between June 22, 2023, and Nov. 12, 2024. The amount Leone is accused of stealing was amended at a January hearing to $32,445.69.
In the affidavit of probable cause, Millcreek Detective Adam Hardner said the Humane Society asked to meet with him shortly after her departure in November.
Hardner said the organization’s internal investigation suggested that Leone had been using the organization’s credit cards for her own use, making regular purchases for a variety of items, including clothing, sunglasses, household items and hotel stays.
The Millcreek detective said that Leone entered the purchases on a spread sheet and coded them so they would appear as regular business expenses.
A $2,029.48 purchase from a local bicycle shop also caught the attention of the Humane Society.
Hardner said, “The purchase was supposed to be for one bicycle to be raffled off as part of a Humane Society fundraiser.”
When the Humane Society treasurer went to the bicycle shop, she found that two bicycles had been purchased, including one purchased for the raffle.
The other bicycle, purchased for $1,346.18, matched a bicycle shown on Leone’s personal social media account.
Contact Jim Martin at jmartin@timesnews.com.
Contact Ed Palattella at epalattella@timesnews.com or 814-870-1813.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Former Erie Humane Society executive director faces trial on 3 charges
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