Apr 6, 2003 By B Jackie Beranek 2 min read

A Uniontown notary public faces 427 charges of theft and non-submission of title work and funds. Trooper Brian Shuba of the state police at Uniontown Vehicle Fraud Investigation Unit filed the charges against Patty Marie Lint, 60, of New Salem, who owns Pat Lint, Notary/Messenger Service, 678 W. Main St., Uniontown.

Shuba said the charges were filed at Fairchance District Justice Randy Abraham’s office for offenses Lint allegedly committed from September 2002 through February 2003.

Of the 427 counts filed, 143 were for theft by failure to make required disposition of funds received, 30 for theft by unlawful taking or disposition, 37 for unsworn falsification to authorities, 37 for tampering with public records or information and 180 counts of other summary offenses.

Abraham set Lint’s bond at $50,000.

Shuba said he began the investigation into Lint’s alleged activities after he received a number of complaints from the general public and area automotive dealerships, saying that they never received their title or registration from the state after paying for processing the paperwork through Pat Lint Notary.

Shuba said that after determining the work was never submitted to the state, as required by law, he and two members of the vehicle fraud unit served a search warrant on Lint’s business Feb. 20.

“As a result,” said Shuba, “title and registration deals which were never submitted to the state were seized. The deals totaled about $47,000 owed to the state. The defendant failing to submit these deals and funds left 143 people without titles or registrations for their vehicles.”

Shuba said after sorting through the deals police determined that Superior Ford of Uniontown had 30 title applications that they processed through the notary with checks attached from Superior Ford made payable to the state.

Shuba said Lint allegedly removed the checks and applied them to other title work that she was responsible for that was late. The 30 checks totaled $16,576.

Lint’s preliminary hearing is set for April 14 at 9:15 a.m. before Abraham.