Mar 10, 2022 3 min read

The former treasurer for the Cecil Township No. 2 Volunteer Fire Company in Muse pleaded guilty Wednesday to stealing more than $30,000 from the department over several years.

Toni R. Zombeck, 68, of Cecil Township, entered an open guilty plea to one felony charge of theft by failure to make requisite disposition of funds and will be sentenced at a later date by Judge Valarie Costanzo.

Zombeck and her son, Alan Zombeck, who was the department’s fire chief, were charged in April and accused of stealing more than $76,000 from the organization from 2013 up until the time they were both dismissed from their duties by the fire company’s board.

As part of her open plea, Toni Zombeck must repay $32,279 to the department, although the rest of her sentence will be determined by Costanzo. Her attorney, Adam Yarussi, said they will ask the judge for probation or house arrest, although he admitted jail time is possible. Yarussi said Zombeck will comment on her actions when she is sentenced at 2 p.m. June 1 in Washington County Court.

“She’s taking responsibility and did not want to take the risk of going to trial,” Yarussi said.

Toni Zombeck was scheduled to go to trial Monday, while Alan Zombeck pleaded guilty in January to one felony count of theft. He was sentenced to 12 months of probation and ordered to repay $14,280 in restitution to the department, which he has already done.

Investigators said both Zombecks had signing powers and access to debit cards connected to the department’s bank account. Toni Zombeck also could not produce financial books or receipts when requested, which was in violation of her duties as treasurer, according to court documents.

Police said $45,560 in various purchases were made by the mother and son over several years, which equals the combined restitution they both must pay the department. However, an additional $15,170 in utility payments were made using fire department funds, along with various cash back purchases, ATM withdrawals and car payments made for Toni Zombeck’s vehicle, investigators previously said.

In total, investigators suspected more than $76,000 was misappropriated from Muse’s fire department funds over nearly eight years.

Alan Zombeck was fire chief until December 2019, while Toni Zombeck was treasurer and finance officer until November 2020. The fire department’s board, which performed an internal investigation into the matter, handed over its findings to Cecil Township police in December 2020.

Toni Zombeck was facing additional charges, the rest of which will not be prosecuted as part of the plea deal. She has been free on bond since charges were filed against her last April.