Wednesday, February 1, 2012 A busload of Windber firefighters crowded into the courtroom Tuesday at the sentencing of a former company member who admitted he took nearly $820,000 from the organization's coffers.

Two Windber Volunteer Fire Company board members and the president of the organization spoke of being betrayed by Henry Walter Swincinski who left behind broken trust not only with the firefighters but also with the community they serve.

Swincinski was sentenced to 11 1/2 to 23 months in Somerset County Jail followed by seven years of supervised probation for 56 counts of theft by deception, all third-degree felonies. He must perform 200 hours of community service when he is released. He was credited for one day served.

Swincinski was sentenced to 11 1/2 to 23 months in Somerset County Jail followed by seven years of supervised probation for 56 counts of theft by deception, all third-degree felonies. He must perform 200 hours of community service when he is released. He was credited for one day served.

Swincinski had been with the company for nearly three decades. He had access to the funds by reason of his position within the fire company from 2002 to 2010. During those years, Swincinski had exclusive access, through a private password, to a fund or bank account to pay bills and other related expenses, according to court documents.

"You took the very basis of faith and trust of the fire department and the community and used it against them," President Judge John M. Cascio said.

In February 2010 Paint Township police charged Swincinski with 974 counts in two cases that involved taking funds meant for the fire company and Northern EMS and putting them in his own pocket. The multiple charges were for the offenses of theft by deception, receiving stolen property and theft by failure to make required disposition of funds received from 2002 through 2010.

On Tuesday the judge commended the Windber fire company members for bringing the fire company back from a financial brink.

This is a very good article that highlights the impact of the breach of trust when a member is found to be stealing from an organization, its impact on the members, the community, and the individuals involved. Read more at: http://www.dailyamerican.com/news/somerset/da-ot-swincinski-sentenced-for-stealing-about-820000-20120131,0,2719478.story