SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — A Scranton woman has pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges after prosecutors say she stole more than $96,000 from the Scranton Firefighters Pension Fund by cashing pension payments intended for her deceased mother.
Lackawanna County District Attorney Brian Gallagher announced that Stacey Ann Bouton, 48, pleaded guilty to theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, forgery and identity theft.
According to investigators, Bouton unlawfully received and negotiated pension payments totaling more than $96,000 between June 2020 and August 2025.
Prosecutors said the payments continued after the death of Bouton’s mother, Henrietta Matticks, in June 2020. Authorities allege the pension checks were initially deposited into a joint bank account shared by Bouton and her parents for more than five years after Matticks’ death.
After that account was closed, the pension fund began issuing paper checks in Matticks’ name, which prosecutors say Bouton fraudulently cashed.
The alleged scheme came to light after the pension fund’s solicitor discovered irregularities during a routine review and notified authorities.
The Scranton Police Department, led by Detective Joseph Dombroski, investigated the case by executing search warrants and reviewing financial records.
“Today’s guilty plea holds the defendant accountable for stealing from the firefighters’ pension fund,” Gallagher said in a statement. “Our office takes financial crimes involving public funds and positions of trust very seriously. We appreciate the work of the investigators in bringing this matter to a successful conclusion and will continue to pursue those who violate the public’s trust.”
Bouton faces a maximum possible sentence of 37 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is expected to be scheduled within the next 90 days.