CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – A woman who altered a money order to pay fines at a local magistrate’s office was sentenced on Wednesday to probation.
On Wednesday, February 6, President Judge James Arner sentenced 30-year-old June L. Burkey, of Bruin, Butler County, to three years probation on one first-degree misdemeanor count of forgery.
As part of the guilty plea, the charge was changed from a second-degree felony charge of Forgery — Unauthorized Act In Writing to a first-degree charge of Forgery — Alter Writing.
The charge stems from an incident where Burkey attempted to use an altered money order to pay fines at a local magistrate’s office.
Details of the case:
According to a criminal complaint, on April 2, June Burkey forged a money order from the Bruin, Pa. United States Post Office by handwriting a number two in front of the printed $5.00 original money order purchased, so it appeared that the money order was for $25.00.
Burkey then mailed the money order to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Magistrate Office 18-3-03, in Knox, to pay for fines for herself and her husband.
The magistrate office received the money order in the mail on April 9.
Burkey was arraigned at 1:03 p.m. on Thursday, August 30, in Magisterial District Judge Timothy P. Schill’s office.