Tamaqua man who stole from basketball boosters club gets jail term

A Tamaqua man who stole — then repaid — $19,101 from the Tamaqua Boys Basketball Boosters will spend up to 23 months in jail on theft and related charges.

Ralph S. Winterburn, 56, was sentenced on Sept. 5 to 30 days to 23 months by Schuylkill County Judge Jacqueline L. Russell after pleading guilty to theft by failing to make required deposits.

Winterburn was released on immediate parole. He was also ordered to perform 20 hours of community service.

The remaining charges of theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, receiving stolen property and tampering with records, were dropped.

Winterburn, who served as treasurer of the organization, was charged by Tamaqua police with taking the money between Jan. 24, 2011, and 2014.

During that time, he presented monthly reports showing the organization was financially sound. His last report noted a balance of $19,253.20 in the Santander Bank account.

When a new treasurer, Ann Gregoire, was elected for the 2014-15 season, she contacted Winterburn for copies of the monthly reports as well as the bank statements.

But he ignored her requests. Gregoire contacted association President Terry Kurek.

They went to the bank on Nov. 12, 2014, and discovered a fund balance of only $2,069.

Gregoire conducted an audit and found multiple unauthorized transactions.

Booster club officers contacted then-Tamaqua Police Cpl. Henry Woods, who contacted Special Investigator Drew Koser of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Charitable Affairs.

Koser performed an official audit and found 35 unauthorized transactions, made by Winterburn, between Jan. 24, 2011, and Aug. 12, 2014. Deposits were short. Money had been withdrawn at the ATM and several checks were issued to Winterburn himself.

On Feb. 12, 2015, as Woods was preparing the criminal charges, the association received a cashier’s check in the amount of $20,000.

The priority mail envelope, with Winterburn’s return address, also contained an unsigned letter, apologizing for “letting Kurek and the association down.”

Winterburn turned himself in to authorities.

On April 21, 2015, he waived the charges to county court, where on Aug. 29, he pleaded guilty.