Former treasurer charged with taking $12,000 from Sons of the American Legion

GETTYSBURG -- A Fairfield man has been charged with misappropriating about $12,000 at the Sons of the American Legion.

Adams County District Attorney Brian Sinnett said Jaime Orlando Zapata, 39,stole and misappropriated funds while he was the treasurer for the group sponsored by the Gettysburg American Legion Post 202.

Zapatta has been charged with three felonies -- access device fraud, receiving stolen property and theft by failure to make required disposition of funds received.

Zapatta told police that he misused the SAL credit card in buying more than $9,900 at McDonalds, Walmart, Royal Farms, Touchtunes, La Bella, Sheetz, Laundromat, Wendy's, Kleffels, Solo Hill Car Wash and other locations, according to court documents. He also admitted to police that he misused cash withdrawals in 2015 to 2017.

The charges follow an audit completed by Boles, Metzger, Brosius and Wa!bom Certified Public Accountants & Consultants, Harrisburg, for the Gettysburg American Legion post, according to court documents. The audit shows a total misappropriation of $11,462 including unauthorized ATM withdrawals, unauthorized payments on personal credit cards, unauthorized credit card transactions and financial shortages from dues in 2016 and 2017.Zapata also had an $800 Toshiba laptop computer that was bought with SAL funds.

Zapata was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Daniel Bowman and is free on $15,000 unsecured bail. His preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 31.

Jim Hook 717-262-4759