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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A Hazleton woman who stole money from a youth football organization faces new theft allegations, accused this time of stealing more than $87,000 in state unemployment benefits.</p><p>Colleen E. Bresnock, 45, was arraigned Wednesday before District Judge Joseph D. Zola on charges of theft, tampering with public records and unsworn falsification to authorities, according to court records.</p><p>Luzerne County detectives allege the woman intentionally under reported earnings beginning in 2007 in order to receive unemployment compensation to which she was not entitled.</p><p>Despite being employed, Bresnock reported earning no income in a majority of her biweekly unemployment reports, a criminal complaint says.</p><p>Investigators say state Department of Labor and Industry records indicate Bresnock in those periods received an overpayment of $87,230 between Aug. 25, 2007, and June 3, 2014. She also owes $4,797 in interest payments and $11,148 in penalties, the complaint says.</p><p>According to the complaint, Bresnock filed a claim for unemployment benefits each August between 2007 and 2010, and then filed for benefits again in October 2013. A state website says claims stay open for a one-year period if not cancelled.</p><p>She qualified in most cases for weekly compensation of more than $500, investigators say, receiving benefits of as much as $573 for a period of time, and as low as $25 for another.</p><p>When contacted by a detective, Bresnock allegedly said she had been in contact with the state Department of Labor and Industry and had set up a repayment plan. The department later advised the detective such an agreement was not in effect, nor does it engage in payment plans.</p><p>A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 9.</p><p>&#8220;Unemployment compensation fraud is theft,&#8221; District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said in a news release. &#8220;People who file claims for unemployment compensation benefits, knowing that they are not eligible for those benefits, are stealing from taxpayers.&#8221;</p><p>Bresnock previously pleaded guilty in May 2014 to stealing more than $8,000 from the Hazleton Area Football League, which she had served as treasurer.</p><p>According to a criminal complaint, league officials contacted police in November 2013 regarding suspicious ATM withdrawals made from the league&#8217;s account earlier in the year.</p><p>Police questioned Bresnock, one of two officials issued ATM cards for the account, who admitted to using most of the money to pay her utility bills so they would not get shut off, the complaint says.</p><p>The total withdrawn was $8,520. Bresnock allegedly said she had planned to pay the money back at the end of the season.</p><p>She was sentenced in June 2014 to two years probation and ordered to perform 25 hours of community service. She had made restitution in full by the time of her sentencing.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Bresnock </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_bresnock1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Bresnock </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By James O&#8217;Malley</p><p>jomalley@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach James O&#8217;Malley at 570-991-6390 or on Twitter @TL_omalley.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Hazleton woman accused of $87k unemployment fraud