Detectives allege office manager pocketed money people paid for traffic and parking citations
A Delaware County woman stole more than $6,800 in government funds as part of a theft scheme while she worked as the office manager at a district court in Lower Merion Township, specifically pocketing monies people paid for traffic and parking related citations, according to arrest documents obtained by MediaNews Group.
Lisa Anne Shopa, 58, of the 400 block of Wynne Avenue, Haverford Township, faces charges of tampering with public records, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds received, misapplication of entrusted property, securing execution of documents by deception, unlawful use of a computer, computer trespass and obstructing administration of law or government functions in connection with alleged thefts that occurred between January and October 2024 while she worked in the office of District Court Judge Michael Quinn in the Narberth section of Lower Merion.
Shopa, who recently waived her preliminary hearing on the charges, remains free on $5,000 unsecured bail to await trial on the charges. Shopa faces a March 5 formal arraignment hearing in county court, after which a judge will set her trial date.
Contacted on Friday, defense lawyer Timothy Woodward, who represents Shopa, declined to comment on her behalf at this time.
The investigation of Shopa began in September 2024, when county detectives were made aware of thefts occurring at the district court office located at 925 Montgomery Avenue.
Detectives reviewed various traffic and parking related citations for which individuals pleaded guilty and paid their fines in cash.
“Generally, a day or two after these individuals pled guilty and paid their fines the cases would be marked withdrawn in the computer by the office manager, Lisa Shopa, and no money was inputted into the system or returned to the original payer,” county Detective Lt. William Robert Mitchell Jr. wrote in the arrest affidavit.
For example, on June 16, 2024, a woman pleaded guilty to three separate traffic citations and paid $450.75 in cash. However, on June 25, Shopa allegedly marked two of the parking citations as withdrawn and recorded only one citation as guilty with a payment of $118. The remaining $332.75 cash payment “was stolen by Shopa and never properly assessed to the citations,” according to the criminal complaint.
During an Oct. 4 transaction, a man paid three citations and paid a total of $674.50 in cash and the citation allegedly was withdrawn by Shopa on Oct. 9.
During the investigation, detectives obtained images from the district court’s video surveillance system that captured the cash payments being made to Shopa.
During the investigation, other court employees told officials that Shopa, the senior clerk and supervisor for the court staff, made a directive that all cash payments were to be given directly to her and the employees should issue hand receipts written to the payer.
“Shopa stated she alone would enter the payment information into the computer system. This is an improper way to hand cash payments and all receipts should be issued through the computer system,” Mitchell alleged.
A review of traffic related citations that were withdrawn by Shopa between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31, 2024, uncovered a total theft of $6,834.99 in local and state government funds, according to the arrest affidavit.
“Shopa intentionally defrauded the local, county and state governments by illegally altering the final dispositions of the aforementioned cases, as well as other cases yet unknown to law enforcement,” Mitchell alleged. “Shopa’s actions undermine the integrity of the judicial system and deprive critical agencies of essential funding.”
Some fines levied on traffic citations are used to fund emergency services throughout the state, officials said.
Detectives obtained a warrant to search the office on Nov. 8.
“During the search, U.S. currency was found loose in Shopa’s desk without any indication on what case it belonged to,” Mitchell alleged.
When detectives interviewed Shopa on Dec. 18, she admitted to stealing the cash payments and altering the records in the judicial administration system to hide the theft activity, according to the arrest affidavit.
“Shopa believes these actions began approximately 3 years ago when she was in a severe financial strain,” alleged Mitchell, adding Shopa confirmed the method she used to carry out the theft scheme and said the amount stolen would vary from week to week.
Court papers indicate Quinn told investigators “he was unaware that Shopa instituted a policy that all cash payments should be directed to her and she would handle the paperwork.”
“Judge Quinn advised the only time he handles cash from constituents is during hearing days which he turns the cash over to the court staff. He further related that he does not handle cash payments made at the window on non-hearing days,” Mitchell said.
When Quinn reviewed records pertaining to one of the transactions handled by Shopa, he confirmed that the party signed in the guilty section of the citation and appeared to pay $674 which should have been logged into the computer showing the payment. Quinn also was shown docket information showing the citations were withdrawn which he confirmed for detectives should not be listed that way in the computer and he confirmed no money was assessed to the traffic citations, according to court documents.
