A Sewickley woman was sentenced to time in federal prison for bank fraud.
A judge imposed a two-month prison sentence, followed by two years of supervised release, on Judith Hetzell, 64, on Tuesday. Hetzell was also ordered to pay $80,966 in restitution to her former employer.
As Channel 11 previously reported, Hetzell served as the business manager for a non-profit guardianship agency in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Between November 2023 and February 2025, she fraudulently drafted checks from bank accounts belonging to individuals who relied on the agency for fiduciary and guardianship services.
Investigators found that Hetzell drafted checks made out to cash and to her mother. She then deposited the funds into two personal bank accounts that she controlled.
Before sentencing, Judge Fischer noted that although Hetzell had previously lived a law-abiding life, her criminal actions were serious because she stole from vulnerable individuals who required guardianship services due to physical and mental health reasons. Fischer added that Hetzell’s conduct endangered the financial viability of the agency.
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