Former investigator at state AG's North Huntingdon office could lose pension if convicted

A North Versailles woman accused of taking money from the Pennsylvania attorney general’s North Huntingdon office while she was an employee there could lose her pension if she’s convicted.

The Public Employee Pension Forfeiture Act requires a Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System member or participant who commits certain crimes related to their public office or employment to give up all pension and retirement benefits. Forfeiture comes into play when the person is convicted of or pleads guilty or no contest to a list of criminal offenses ranging from theft by deception to official oppression, according to Pamela Hile, system press secretary.

Brenda D. Sawyer, 61, was arrested Sept. 5 by Westmoreland County detectives on charges of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, forgery, obstruction, tampering with evidence and three counts of theft. She is accused of stealing $121,000 from the attorney general’s North Huntingdon office, where she was regional director of the Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and Drug Control until retiring in February.

She also is accused of stealing $52,650 from the McKeesport branch of the NAACP.

Information obtained by the Trib under a request through the state’s Right-to-Know Law showed that Sawyer received an initial lump-sum payment of $229,596.50 in member contributions plus interest on April 23. She has received a gross monthly payment of $6,098.06 since her retirement, according to information provided by the state employment retirement system.

Sawyer made an estimated $130,000 as a state employee.

State system staff reviews criminal cases to see if the circumstances of a conviction or guilty or no contest plea meets Act 140 standards, according to a spokesperson. If a pension is deemed to be forfeited under Act 140, members can still get the contributions they paid into the pension fund, without interest.

But those contributions might be designated to pay fines and restitution, if ordered by a judge in a case, the law states.

Of the seven counts Sawyer faces, it appears two — forgery and tampering with records or physical evidence — meet the Act 140 list, which also states that a criminal offense classified as a felony or punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding five years would qualify.

Sawyer is charged with five felonies and two misdemeanors.

Defense attorney Phil DiLucente said the case is document-heavy.

“I would be hopeful that somehow, some way, we can have this resolved before the preliminary hearing, but at this junction, I do not think that’s a possibility,” he said.

The preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 21.

Financial discrepancies at the North Huntingdon office came to light after Sawyer’s retirement, according to court papers. She is accused by county detectives of writing 60 checks between Jan. 1, 2019, and February from two accounts agents use to make undercover and controlled buys of narcotics and depositing them into her personal accounts.

In addition, eight evidence envelopes containing nearly $76,000 from the office’s asset forfeiture evidence storage were missing, according to court papers.

During the investigation, police got access to Sawyer’s personal bank accounts and her Rivers Casino players club account. Both showed activity that corresponded with checks issued to Sawyer from the attorney general accounts, according to court papers.

While investigating those financial discrepancies, authorities said they discovered Sawyer made cash withdrawals, some of which took place at Rivers Casino, from an account she controlled labeled NAACP Community Violence Fund, according to court papers.

After her retirement, Sawyer was hired as McKeesport Area School District’s police chief at a salary of $75,000. She is on an unpaid leave of absence, district solicitor Gary Matta said.

At the time of her arrest, Sawyer was taken to the Westmoreland County Prison after failing to post $100,000 percentage bail. She spent five days there before a McKeesport woman posted the bail for her, according to court records.