February 27, 07

NEWS / Mahoney receives probation in Accent Notary case

NORRISTOWN ??“ A former Lansdale notary will be under court supervision for two years in connection with allegations she accepted payments from customers for services that she never completed.

Irene M. Mahoney??? 60??? of Tiffany Drive??? Perkasie??? was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to two years??™ probation after she pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of theft by deception and theft by unlawful taking in connection with incidents that occurred between January 2004 and January 2006.

President Judge Richard J. Hodgson??? who accepted a plea agreement in the case??? ordered Mahoney to pay a total of $2???406 in restitution to various people who fell victim to her deception when they sought her services for various vehicle registration and title transfer work through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

???She??™s admitting she was paid to perform certain PennDOT functions which she never completed?????? said Assistant District Attorney Shawn Weede. ???It??™s been very frustrating for the victims. They felt they were let down or taken advantage of. We just want to make sure the victims are made whole.???

Mahoney??? according to a condition requested by prosecutors and imposed by the judge??? is also prohibited from performing notary services for anything connected to PennDOT functions.

???We want to make sure she isn??™t out there preying on anybody else?????? said Weede.

Under state law??? by pleading guilty to the theft by deception charge??? Mahoney admitted that she intentionally obtained or withheld property of another by deception by creating or reinforcing a false impression.

By pleading guilty to the charge of theft by unlawful taking??? Mahoney admitted that she unlawfully took or exercised unlawful control over the property of others??? specifically cash.

Other charges of deceptive business practices???

theft by receiving stolen property and theft by failure to make required disposition of funds received were dismissed against Mahoney as part of the plea agreement.

Mahoney??? the former operator of Accent Notary??? was represented by Philadelphia defense lawyer Wayne R. Maynard. Accent Notary was located in the 400 block of North Broad Street in Lansdale.

Mahoney was arrested last April after state police received numerous complaints from customers who said they paid Mahoney for various services that were never completed.

Some customers said they paid Mahoney to perform vehicle title and registration transfers but then they never received the new registrations or updated titles from PennDOT??? according to the criminal complaint.

When customers inquired about their registrations or titles??? PennDOT officials said they never received the applications.

Court documents indicate the state police Vehicle Fraud Investigation Unit filed two previous criminal affidavits against Mahoney in relation to complaints of theft from customers. Those complaints included more than 25 victims and several thousand dollars in customer payments??? according to court documents.

Authorities??? who served a warrant at Mahoney??™s business in November 2005 to seize notary related and title transfer applications??? alleged Mahoney violated the rules and regulations of the Motor Vehicle Code??? according to court records.

At that time??? authorities alleged numerous people paid Mahoney for various notary work that was not properly accomplished after an extended period of time.

In January 2006??? PennDOT officials served Mahoney with a notice of suspension??? advising her that her privilege to issue registrations was revoked??? court documents indicate.
By Carl Hessler Jr., For The Reporter

Tags: notary, notary service, court record, court records, document,