Former Chesco Sheriff 'Bunny' Welsh Stole From K-9 Fund: A.G.

CHESTER COUNTY, PA — Chester County's former sheriff of two decades is charged with theft and diversion of services, accused by the state attorney general's office of misusing monies in the sheriff's office K-9 unit fund.

Carolyn 'Bunny' Welsh, 76, was charged Tuesday with theft by unlawful taking and with diversion of services, both second degree misdemeanors. The attorney general's offices alleges both Welsh and former sheriff's office employee Harry McKinney improperly used funds from the K-9 unit.

Welsh and McKinney have the same address in Chadds Ford. The criminal complaint states that while Welsh was sheriff, McKinney had held the position of Deputy 1 and Welsh gave him the 'honorary' title of lieutenant, assigning him supervisory duties over the K-9 unit and placing him in charge of fundraising for the unit.

The charges come after Chester County Controller Margaret Reif spent two years investigating Welsh's activities. Reif in 2018 subpoenaed financial records from the sheriff's office. Her office looked into how Welsh was spending funds from the K-9 unit how the sheriff's office accounted for nearly $200,000 in donations.

While Chester County paid the salaries and insurance costs for deputy K-9 handlers, the unit itself was funded through non-governmental sources.

The attorney general's probable cause statement alleges Welsh allowed salaried deputies to do non-governmental work, while on the payroll, much of it at the Wild Game Dinner fundraiser. Also, for every hour the employees spent volunteering during hours after work, Welsh awarded them 1.5 hours of paid comp time, used later as paid time off, the affidavit states.

The A.G.'s office brought the same two charges against McKinney, 64, alleging he improperly diverted money meant for the K-9 unit to cover personal expenses. The complaint alleges McKinney reimbursed himself with money from the K-9 fund for care costs of his family pet. These included medicine, grooming, treatments, and overnight grooming. McKinney had exclusive approval power over the K-9 account, the A.G.'s affidavit said.

"Bunny Welsh used her position of power for her and her partner Harry McKinney’s own personal gain instead of serving her community as she was elected to do," Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in a statement Tuesday.

"Welsh and McKinney allegedly used public employees to perform work for private charity events both on and off-duty at the expense of Chester County, and McKinney then used those fundraised dollars to cover his own personal expenses," Shapiro added.

Both Welsh and McKinney were arraigned on Tuesday before District Judge Daniel Maisano. Both were released without bail. Preliminary hearings are set for Dec. 18.

Welsh served as Chester County Sheriff for 20 years as a Republican. She was replaced last year by a Democrat, Fredda Maddox.

At the time Welsh left office, she said, "I feel somewhat like a mother who is handing over her precious child to a new caregiver."

Shapiro said, "This blatant misappropriation of funds is unacceptable. My office has made over 60 public corruption arrests since I took office and I will continue to hold any public officials accountable for abusing their office and public trust."