Woman who headed Philly crime-victims group to be tried on charges of stealing from the agency
Stephanie Mayweather, accused of stealing more than $15,000 from a Philadelphia crime-victims support group she once directed, was ordered Tuesday to stand trial on felony theft charges.
Stephanie Mayweather, accused of stealing more than $15,000 from a Philadelphia crime-victims support group she once directed, was ordered Tuesday to stand trial on felony theft charges.
Mayweather, 52, is a former executive director of East Division Crime Victim Services, headquartered in North Philadelphia until it closed last summer. A resident of Mullica Hill, she was arrested in May and charged with several counts of theft and receiving stolen property.
After a preliminary hearing Tuesday, Municipal Court Judge Bradley Moss found that state prosecutors had presented sufficient evidence against Mayweather to proceed to trial.
"We are disappointed with the decision," said Mayweather's lawyer, Luther E. Weaver III. "We feel the commonwealth failed to prove a case."
Weaver said he intends to appeal the finding before Mayweather is scheduled to be formally arraigned Sept. 20 in Common Pleas Court.
Prosecutors said Mayweather misused public funds between January 2010 and May 2013 while working for East Division Crime Victim Services.
Prosecutors said she stole $15,121.39 in grant money and used it to pay for items at grocery and convenience stores. Additionally, prosecutors charged, Mayweather used the money to pay for cellphone use, gas, parking, rental cars, and college tuition.
Mayweather was responsible for overseeing the daily operations of East Division Crime Victim Services, maintaining financial records, and paying the organization's bills, prosecutors said.
City officials said Mayweather began working as executive director of the victims group, which had an office at 3300 N. Mascher St., in 1998. It received funding from the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, and provided services to crime victims in the 24th, 25th, and 26th Police Districts, which include Kensington, Port Richmond, Fishtown, and parts of Juniata Park and Frankford. Victim services in that area are now provided by two other neighborhood groups, police said.
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