Retired Greensburg police Officer Regina McAtee collected a $5,160 pension payment the day she pleaded guilty in federal court to engaging in a methamphetamine distribution operation with the former city police chief.

McAtee, 51, of New Kensington has received about $51,400 in pension payments from the city since Aug. 1, according to information obtained by TribLive under a Right-to-Know Law request.

McAtee served on the Greensburg police force for more than 19 years. She retired in July after a five-month, unpaid suspension and was charged in March.

Greensburg Council is determining whether McAtee is still eligible to receive her pension, according to city Solicitor Zachary Kansler.

“We’re still looking at that, because the law requires that whatever she pleaded guilty to occurred in her public employment,” Kansler said. “Just because she was found guilty of a certain crime doesn’t automatically require the forfeiture of her pension.”

The Public Employee Pension Forfeiture Act, or Act 140, states that any state employee who commits certain crimes related to their employment is required to forfeit their pension and retirement benefits, according to the State Employees Retirement System.

“There has to be that nexus with work — that (the crime) occurred through their public office or if their public employment put them in a position to commit the crime,” Kansler said.

If McAtee has to forfeit her pension, she will still receive whatever amount she contributed to it, said Lt. Rob Jones — president of the city’s police union.

Officers who serve in the force for 12 years become fully vested in the city’s pension plan, Jones said. Once an officer reaches 20 years of service, full medical benefits and pension are earned.

McAtee is set to be sentenced Aug. 22.

Former police Chief Shawn Denning was arrested at city hall in January 2023. He pleaded guilty in federal court April 16 to conspiracy to distribute drugs and could face at least five years in prison, prosecutors said. Denning admitted to conspiring with McAtee.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt laid out evidence May 1 — the day McAtee pleaded guilty — showing that McAtee conspired with Denning between November 2020 and January 2023 to order and pay for drugs from suppliers online.

McAtee volunteered to have the pills — at first 10 to 20 an order, which progressed to 100 at a time — shipped to her home, Vasquez Schmitt said.

Investigators said McAtee made Cash App payments to the online suppliers.

Text messages between McAtee and Denning showed they were working together, Vasquez Schmitt said.

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