ORWIGSBURG — Joan M. Lechleitner, who bought a winning Cash 5 lottery ticket in 2015, did so with stolen money, police said Tuesday in charging her and three other employees with taking more than $175,000 over almost five years from a Cressona business.

Lechleitner, 51, her fiance, Kerry T. Titus, 54, both of 2269 Panther Valley Road, Pottsville, Samantha M. Schaeffer, 25, of 519 Harrison St., Pottsville, and Tyler M. Schappell, 21, of 210 W. Tammany St., Orwigsburg, each face four counts of conspiracy and one each of theft, theft by deception, receiving stolen property and tampering with records.

Magisterial District Judge James R. Ferrier arraigned the defendants on the charges and allowed each to remain free on $25,000 unsecured bail. He scheduled their preliminary hearing for 11:30 a.m. July 5.

State police at Schuylkill Haven charged the four participated in the thefts from Cressona Agway (Cressona Country Properties Inc.), 22 N. Second St., at various times beginning on May 2, 2011, and continuing through March 7.

Police allege that when no customers were present, Lechleitner, the store's bookkeeper, Titus, the store's manager, Schaeffer and Schappell would make numerous returns and then take money from the cash register.

"All (four defendants) admitted ringing in fraudulent sales returns" and then taking money, police said in their Affidavits of Probable Cause filed with each complaint.

Furthermore, business owner Ronald Yordy installed hidden cameras in January that showed the four taking money from the register, and seized internal register tapes that previously had been thrown away, according to police.

"On several occasions, employees would document a cash return, take money from the register and exchange money between each other," according to the affidavits. "A review of the video footage reveals a similar pattern and scheme of documenting cash returns and taking money out of register drawers. (Defendants are seen) at various times purchasing lottery tickets and scratch off lottery tickets."

Police said Certified Forensic Accountant Daniel Ryan of Information Network Associates Inc., Harrisburg, reviewed the tapes, interviews with the defendants and the video surveillance system, and determined that the business had lost $175,082.11 as a result of the thefts.

Yordy told police he had to take out loans to keep the business from failing.

Lechleitner had bought the winning lottery ticket in September 2015 at Cressona Agway and shared with three other people the cash prize of $1,047,618. She said Titus bought a pickup truck with part of the money.

The defendants also used the stolen money to buy a variety of other things, police said.

Defendants: Joan M. Lechleitner, 51, of Pottsville; Samantha M. Schaeffer, 25, of Pottsville; Tyler M. Schappell, 21, of Orwigsburg; and Kerry T. Titus, 54, of Pottsville

Charges: Four counts of conspiracy and one each of theft, theft by deception, receiving stolen property and tampering with records