JOHNSTOWN – A 65-year-old Jefferson County woman has been indicted on theft charges by a federal grand jury.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Patty Merlo of Punxsutawney is accused of accepting more than $91,000 of Social Security benefit payments between 2016 and 2022. Investigators claim that Merlo fully knew that she was not entitled to those payments.
If Merlo is found guilty, she could receive a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both.
