Nicole Leone: Embezzlement, Guilty Plea, and House Arrest

Nicole Leone, the former executive director of the Erie Humane Society, pleaded guilty on January 16, 2026, to a felony count of theft by deception after using the shelter’s credit cards to make 139 unauthorized personal purchases totaling $23,582.27. She was sentenced to 43 months of probation, with the first seven months on house arrest, ordered to complete 200 hours of community service, and required to pay full restitution, which she delivered the morning of her sentencing.¹

What She Took and How

Leone led the Erie Humane Society from 2015 until her resignation on November 14, 2024. Between June 22, 2023, and November 12, 2024, she used two Visa cards belonging to the nonprofit to make 139 unauthorized purchases. The charges covered clothing, sunglasses, household goods, hotel stays, and a personal bicycle.¹ Many of the Amazon orders were placed through her Erie Humane Society email address, and she coded each purchase as a legitimate business expense on the organization’s financial records to disguise the spending.²

Some reports put the total loss above $32,000, which may reflect additional spending identified during the broader investigation. The criminal complaint itself detailed the 139 charges adding up to $23,582.27, and that is the figure Leone repaid.³

How the Fraud Was Caught

A bicycle gave her away. The Erie Humane Society’s treasurer noticed a $2,029.48 charge from Bert’s Bikes and Fitness. The board had approved the purchase of one bicycle, costing $799.99, to be used as a raffle prize. When the treasurer went to the shop, staff confirmed that two bikes had been bought. The second, a Liv Avail AR4 valued at $1,346.18, turned up in one of Leone’s social media posts, with the serial number visible in the image.¹⁴

From there, the treasurer worked backward through the credit card statements and matched specific clothing and sunglasses charges to items Leone had worn in other posts. The Amazon orders tied to her shelter email filled in the rest.¹

Charges and Guilty Plea

In December 2024, police charged Leone with two felony counts, access device fraud and theft by deception, along with a misdemeanor count of tampering with records.⁵ She was represented by attorney Chad Vilushis and remained free on bond.²

At the January 16, 2026 hearing before Judge John Mead in Erie County Court of Common Pleas, Leone pleaded guilty to one felony count of theft by deception. The felony access device fraud charge and the misdemeanor tampering count were dropped under the plea agreement. Chief Deputy District Attorney Steven Liboski confirmed that the prosecution and defense had agreed on the sentence in advance.⁶

The Sentence

Judge Mead imposed 43 months of probation, with the first seven months to be served on house arrest with electronic monitoring, plus 200 hours of community service.⁷ Leone paid full restitution of $23,582.27 that morning in two checks.¹

What It Meant for the Shelter

Board president Jennifer Gornall said the organization endured “14 long months” working through the fraud and its aftermath. She said the board pressed for criminal charges to hold Leone accountable and to ensure she “wouldn’t be able to harm any other organizations in this community or anywhere else.” Gornall said Leone had been “doctoring records” and “intentionally misleading” the board, which made the fraud hard to catch while it was happening. The shelter has since added financial controls, and Gornall told donors their “generosity is going to go straight to the animals which we’re all trying to save.”⁷

Two longtime employees ran the shelter as interim co-executive directors after Leone’s departure.² On August 13, 2025, the organization named Joe Lang its new executive director. Lang had previously served as development director at Lakeshore Community Services, and he and his wife had fostered pets and adopted a dog through the shelter.⁸

1
Erie News Now. Former Erie Humane Society Director Pleads Guilty, Sentenced in Embezzlement Case
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Yahoo News. Nicole Leone, Former Executive Director of Erie Humane Society, Charged
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GoErie.com. Former Erie Humane Society Director Nicole Leone Pleads Guilty to Theft
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AOL News. Former Erie Humane Society Executive Director Charged
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Erie News Now. Former Erie Humane Society Director Scheduled to Enter Plea in Embezzlement Case
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GoErie.com. Prosecutor, Defense Agree on House Arrest in Erie Humane Society Theft
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YourErie.com. Former Erie Humane Society Executive Director Pleads Guilty
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GoErie.com. Erie PA Humane Society Hires Joe Lang as Executive Director