Uniontown notary asks for admittance to ARD program
A Uniontown notary accused of not submitting vehicle title work and funds to the state has asked to be considered for the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program. Patricia Lint, 60, of New Salem was charged with theft and related crimes for allegedly not submitting title and registration paperwork, and in some cases, the money paid for it, to the state.
Her admittance to ARD, a pretrial diversionary program, will be up to a judge.
State police charged that 143 people, who paid money to Lint, were left without titles and or registrations to their vehicles.
Trooper Brian Shuba said police determined that Superior Ford of Uniontown had 30 title applications that they processed through Lint, and they had checks attached from Superior Ford that were 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 allegedly failed to pay $47,084.70 to the state.
District Attorney Nancy D. Vernon said part of Lint’s acceptance into the ARD program would include a condition that she repay the money to the state.
In court filings last week, Lint’s attorney, Mark F. Morrison, indicated that he would not file any motions in the case if Vernon agreed to consider Lint for ARD.
The ARD program, which does not require an admission of guilt, allows first-time, non-violent offenders a chance to complete a probationary-type term, and usually, community service. If that term is completed without any further criminal act, the record is expunged.
The Pennsylvania Department of State Web site does not have a listing for Lint’s notary license online to determine if it was still held in good standing.
A representative at the Department of State said her license should be listed, and could not provide a reason that it was not.