Former Bucks FOP president sentenced for theft

The former president of the Bucks County Fraternal Order of Police was sent to prison today for stealing from his own organization.

Gerald Conaway, 66, of Southampton, was given a three- to 23-month sentence in the Bucks County prison. Conaway, a retired Upper Southampton officer, admitted taking $5,500 in FOP funds to pay off personal debts.

A second FOP official, former treasurer Katherine Leese, pleaded no contest today to a far larger heist. Leese, 42, a former Falls Township officer, entered the plea to charges that she embezzled more than $87,000 for home improvements, credit card payments, and other personal uses. She will be sentenced at a later date.

When confronted by investigators, Conaway immediately paid back all of the money he took, with interest. He characterized the sums as loans he took without authorization, but admitted in court that he knew it was illegal.

He apologized to his fellow officers and his family, saying he had "made a very grave mistake and tarnished the badge that I had sworn to uphold."

Under standard state sentencing guidelines, Judge Jeffrey L. Finley could have placed Conaway on probation. But as a former officer who knew the law better than most, Conaway deserved harsher punishment, Finley said.

Conaway "stole the death benefits of police officers. Taking that into consideration, probation clearly would be inappropriate," the judge said.