County to revisit hiring of attorney involved in sign-stealing case

Mar. 28—Crawford County officials will revisit hiring a part-time attorney after learning that she pleaded guilty to a 2020 charge in Venango County in connection with a political sign-stealing spree.

On Wednesday, Allison D. Hartle of Franklin was hired as a part-time guardian ad litem for Crawford County Court of Common Pleas, replacing attorney Mary E. Adelman.

A guardian ad litem acts as a neutral third party to represent the legal and best interests of a child's well-being in a court proceeding. Crawford County Court has four part-time guardian ad litem positions.

Hartle's hiring is effective April 1 with an annual salary of $39,707.43 per year.

In 2020, Hartle pleaded guilty in Venango County to a summary charge of criminal mischief tampering with property and was fined in a plea bargain with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General over stealing multiple political campaign signs.

Hartle received no disciplinary action from the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts under Pennsylvania Rule of Disciplinary Enforcement Rule 214 because she didn't get any jail time with her summary violation guilty plea.

At their meeting Wednesday, Crawford County Board of Commissioners members unanimously approved a list of 19 new hires and transfers which included Hartle. At the Crawford County Salary Board meeting that followed the commissioners' meeting, the board members unanimously approved Hartle's annual salary. The Salary Board consists of the three commissioners and the county treasurer.

When a Meadville Tribune reporter questioned county officials about whether they knew of Hartle's past, they said they remembered the sign-stealing incident but didn't recall it involved Hartle.

"I didn't realize it was her," County Commissioner Christopher Seeley said.

"Had you not brought that up, I'd have never known," Commissioner Scott Schell added.

"We were not aware that that was her," Nicole Graham, the county's deputy human resources director, said following the meeting. "I did not realize that was her. I remember the incident."

County Treasurer Christine Kryzsiak, too, said she remembered the incident but didn't realize it involved Hartle.

"I was unaware of that," Commissioner Chairman Eric Henry said. "I would like to talk to Heidi [Shiderly, court administrator] about it."

Shiderly told the Tribune that the recommendation to hire Hartle was made by Crawford County President Judge John Spataro.

Spataro told the Tribune that Hartle was hired through a process and that the Venango County case against her had been resolved.

"She remained an attorney in good standing," the judge said. "Yes, it was my decision that she should be hired.

"She had a good resumé," he said, but added, "I never did talk with her."

Hartle, 38, initially was charged by Pennsylvania State Police at Franklin with a first-degree misdemeanor of theft by unlawful taking. Hartle, who was and still is a registered Republican Party voter, was accused of stealing 15 Donald Trump presidential campaign signs and one Donald Trump presidential campaign flag. The items were taken from private property near Marsh Lane and Route 8 — an area about 5 miles south of Titusville — around 12:10 p.m. Aug. 31, 2020.

When interviewed that day by Pennsylvania State Police, Hartle told the trooper "that she would pay restitution for the signs and stated 'I'm not like a criminal or anything,'" according to the affidavit of probable cause filed in the case.

Hartle pleaded guilty Dec. 31, 2020, before Magisterial District Judge Andrew Fish in Oil City to a summary charge of criminal mischief tampering with property in a plea bargain with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. The Venango County District Attorney's Office had recused itself from prosecuting the case.

Hartle had faced up to five years in jail and a $10,000 fine on the theft charge. The summary criminal mischief count carried a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $300 fine.

Fish imposed no jail time on Hartle, but ordered her to pay a $300 fine, $75 in restitution and $162.75 in court costs for a total of $537.75. She paid all fines and costs Jan. 8, 2021, according to court records.

Hartle, an attorney based in Franklin, has been licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania since 2013. She is a 2012 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

At the time of the Venango County incident, Hartle was a part-time program coordinator at Allegheny College's Department of Law and Policy and the college's Center for Political Participation. She had been employed in the position at Allegheny since January 2020, but the college fired Hartle after she was charged.

In addition to her work at the college, Hartle formerly was an attorney within agencies in both Crawford and Venango counties including two separate stints with Crawford County government.

She was an attorney on a temporary basis with the Crawford County Human Services Department from April 16 through June 18, 2020, according to the county's Human Resources Department. She previously served as an assistant public defender in Crawford County from March 10, 2014, through Oct. 19, 2015, and also served as an assistant public defender with Venango County from October 2015 through October 2017.

Keith Gushard can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com.