HARRISBURG — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle), published as received.

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Erin Hossler, age 50, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, the former treasurer for Cressona Borough, Schuylkill County, was indicted on June 17, 2020, by a federal grand jury on three counts of tax evasion for 2015, 2016, and 2017 and 12 counts of failure to account for and pay over employment tax. 

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that Hossler took hundreds of thousands of dollars between 2015 and 2018 from the Borough of Cressona, where she used to work as the Secretary/Treasurer. It is alleged that Hossler had numerous checks issued to herself, forged signatures on checks, and used online banking for the borough’s bank accounts to pay her personal bills.  The indictment further alleges that Hossler concealed her activities by altering federal records, withholding payment of federal employment taxes for Cressona Borough employees, and altering an audit from an independent accounting firm to make it appear that the firm approved of the borough’s finances.

The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the IRS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio is prosecuting the case.

Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty under federal law for each of these offenses is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

 

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