Greensburg will pay N.J. woman $60K to settle false prosecution case

Greensburg is paying $60,000 to settle a federal lawsuit with a New Jersey woman whose criminal charges were dropped after her attorney produced evidence proving her innocence.

City council this month unanimously approved the settlement with Alyssa Wright. Details of the settlement were obtained by the Trib under a request through the state’s Right-to-Know Law.

Wright and Bryce C. Sanders, 25, also of New Jersey, were charged by Greensburg police in September 2024 in connection with a series of fraudulent checks reported by Greensburg Salem School District. Investigators claimed one of the checks, which were written to unauthorized recipients, was deposited into Wright’s bank account.

The charges against Wright were dropped in January after her attorney produced video evidence that showed a man depositing the $6,200 check into her account, according to a federal lawsuit filed in May. In conversations with investigators before the charges were filed, Wright told police she had never heard of the school district and never received a check from them, according to court papers.

Attorney Joel Sansone said in the suit that police did not have probable cause to file charges against her.

Wright spent 16 days in jail, according to the suit, which was filed against Detective Garret McNamara and Officer William Newmyer. She sought compensation for malicious prosecution, false arrest and false imprisonment.

The payment will be made through Greensburg’s insurance carrier, according to the settlement.

Sanders pleaded guilty in March to attempted theft and attempted receiving stolen property. He was sentenced to three to 23 months in the Westmoreland County Prison, according to online court records.