A retired Greensburg police officer convicted in a federal drug trafficking scheme is appealing a decision that rescinded and forfeited a portion of her pension.

The lawyer for Regina McAtee claims the Greensburg police pension commission erred this month when it ordered she return more than $75,000 in retirement benefits she previously received.

McAtee, 52, of New Kensington, pleaded guilty in March 2024 to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to serve three years of probation.

Since her retirement, McAtee has received nearly $150,000 in pension payments. Her contributions to the fund totaled $74,000, excluding interest, and she’s allowed to keep that amount.

Federal prosecutors said McAtee and then-police Chief Shawn Denning, 44, of Delmont, ordered and paid for pills that contained methamphetamine from suppliers online between November 2020 and January 2023. Investigators said text messages showed the pair was working together.

Federal prosecutors said McAtee, who worked as a city police officer for 19 years, and her boss at the time, Denning, were romantically linked.

Attorney Larry Kerr argued that under state law, McAtee was entitled to keep her pension benefits.

Kerr suggested McAtee’s crimes occurred outside of her duties as a police officer and her relationship with Denning was separate from her official duties within the department.

“There is no evidence in the hearing record that they had met through their jobs or committed their offenses while on duty or that their actions had been assisted by their official positions,” Kerr wrote.

McAtee, who according to her court filing now works as a restaurant food server, contends she remains entitled to her full pension benefits from the city.

“Her involvement with controlled substances did not cause any financial loss to the city of Greensburg or the police pension plan,” Kerr wrote.

Lee Demosky, the lawyer for the city’s police pension commission, on Friday declined additional comment on McAtee’s appeal.

He said the city stands behind the commission’s written opinion issued earlier this month.

Denning, who pleaded guilty to federal drug counts and is serving a 15-month federal prison sentence, also saw his city pension revoked. Denning did not appeal that decision.

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