A Salisbury Township woman pleaded guilty to theft in taking money from Fearless Fire Company, Allentown, while she worked part time for the organization, her duties including keeping financial records for the business and its payroll.

According to documents from the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas, Wendy Lynn Desch, now 47, of the 1100 block of Brook Avenue, entered a negotiated guilty plea to theft by deception July 29 before Lehigh County Judge Maria L. Dantos.

In an affidavit of probable cause prepared by City of Allentown Police, Desch was charged with stealing $96,288.07 from Fearless Fire Company, 1221 S. Front St., between January 2016 and January 2018 including $7,377 in credit card charges paid with checks from the fire company, $16,586.56 in check payments to Desch, $30,039.27 in excess payroll payments to Desch, $17,710.20 in events cash from 2016 and $24,575.04 in events cash from 2017.

Founded in the early 20th century as a fire organization, Fearless Fire Company is a social club featuring a ballroom, a bowling alley, a bar and a party loft and hosting dances, banquets, fundraisers, live music performances, holiday events and other functions, according to its website.

Desch is sentenced to a minimum of six months and a maximum of 23 months with three years probation, described in court documents as consecutive to confinement. As of the July 29 negotiated plea, confinement was to be in Lehigh County Jail, according to court documents.

An affidavit of probable cause outlined the case against Desch:

In January of 2018, an officer of Fearless Fire Company filed a police report on behalf of the business, alleging Desch embezzled $96,288 while working there between January 2016 and 2018.

The fire company officer explained to police Desch’s role with the company was “to oversee daily operations of the business,” according to the affidavit, including planning of events, completing event contracts and payroll.

In January 2018 the fire company officer stated he became aware of Desch overpaying herself by writing her hours on her time cards by hand. He explained “employees with the company are not allowed to handwrite their hours” because the company has a punch card system to monitor employee hours.

The discovery prompted an audit of Desch’s pay stubs for the prior six months and the revelation Desch, a part-time employee, had “overpaid herself in excess of $30,000” in 2017.

Additional financial documents for Fearless Fire Company, including bank statements, records of purchases not authorized by the business, bank ledgers and copies of checks Desch wrote to herself also were provided to investigators, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

An accounting and financial firm audit encompassed Fearless Fire Company books, records, financial statements, tax returns, general ledgers and other related documents from Jan. 1, 2016 to Jan. 31, 2018, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

Original charges in the case were theft by deception and receiving stolen property, according to court documents.