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Police: Special Olympics organizer falsely claimed 600 medals were stolen

BEAVER FALLS, Pa. — The organizer of the Geneva College Special Olympic Event is facing charges after police said she made a false report that approximately 600 medals were stolen from the football field stadium.

Dena Timper is charged with two counts of unsworn falsification to authorities and two counts of making false reports to law enforcement.

Last week, she told police that she personally placed the medals, run sheets and other items on the field overnight and found them missing in the morning, officials said.

She also gave detectives altered documents for the ordering of the medals in an attempt to prove that she did order them, according to police.

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According to police, through their investigation it was determined that she never ordered them and they were never in her possession.

Timper has been suspended from her volunteer position with the Beaver County Special Olympics. Spokesperson Nicole Jones said:

"We are taking steps to ensure that medals will be distributed to the athletes that competed in the effected event. As this is a matter being handled by law enforcement officials, it would be inappropriate for Special Olympics Pennsylvania to comment further at this time, but we will cooperate fully with the Beaver Falls Police Department on this matter."

Geneva College President Calvin Troup also released a statement:

"We appreciate the focus and determination of the athletes who compete in the Special Olympics, and don't want anything to take away from their accomplishments. We're pleased to host the event at Geneva and be part of a community that honors the image of God in all of us."