SUNBURY – An independent audit will be done by Northumberland County on the prothonotary’s office. The State Auditor General already audited the office, but Northumberland County Commissioners say a county audit was also authorized, after theft and fraud charges were filed against Prothonotary Justin Dunkelberger.
Commissioner Chairman Rick Shoch, “What we feel is prudent is having authorized an independent audit of any of the accounts that would not have been included in the State Auditor General audit that was performed last year. There are some of those accounts and that audit should hopefully be getting started in the next few weeks.”
Wednesday, the state attorney general’s office filed new criminal charges were filed against Dunkelberger. They say Dunkelberger failed to report money he took from the Lockcuff Memorial Scholarship Fund and put into his political campaign. He was charged in February 2016 with taking $12,000 from the scholarship fund for personal use. Trial in the case is set to begin in May.
Shoch said as a commissioner, there is nothing he can do to keep Dunkelberger from continuing on in his elected role as prothonotary, “You know, at least not until such time as there would be a conviction. At that point, it wouldn’t just be the commissioners, but I think frankly any taxpayers could challenge the ability of him to hold the office.”
Shoch said obviously it’s not the type of attention they would like to have for Northumberland County, “People will ask us about it, but I think they understand we are doing what we can do on our end, what we feel is prudent in terms of our fiduciary duty to the county.”
Dunkelberger was also charged with driving under the influence in August 2015. (Ali Stevens)
