Allentown man admits to stealing tens of thousands of dollars in business checks from mail, awaits June sentencing

An Allentown man who worked for a mail delivery service has admitted to stealing more than $22,000 in business checks from companies across Bucks, Lehigh, Montgomery and Northampton counties, including Nyce Crete & Landis Block in Hilltown Township.

Edison Pena-Roman, 45, pleaded guilty last week in Bucks County Common Pleas Court to five felony counts each of forgery and theft of mail, according to court records. He is set to be sentenced in June and out on bail.

Charges of access device fraud, receiving stolen property and criminal use of a communication device were dismissed, per charging documents.

In February 2024, Hilltown Township Police reported that a business check was stolen out of the mail system and deposited into the bank account of an unknown person, police said.

According to the affidavit, the company mailed a check to a vendor to pay for two invoices, but the check never made it to the vendor.

An investigation uncovered Roman-Pena, of Allentown, was employed by a transportation company located in Bath, PA that delivered mail to and from various post offices, police said.

During his employment, Pena-Roman would allegedly steal numerous business checks from the mail and then deposit them into his own bank account through a mobile app or at an Allentown ATM, police allege.

Police said a search warrant on Pena-Roman’s Well Fargo Bank records showed the stolen Nyce Crete & Landis Block check, as well as 31 other checks stolen out of the mail system, fraudulently endorsed by Pena-Roman, and deposited into his account.

All in all, authorities allege Pena-Roman stole $22,295.67 in funds from businesses in five counties.

Affected businesses include Lincoln Fire Co. in Ephrata, where an $805 check was stolen; Perkiomen Valley Printing in East Greenville, where a $60 check was stolen; Walter Brucker & Co. in Ottsville, in which a $2,026 check was stolen; and Armen Chevrolet in Ardmore, in which a $966 was stolen.

Police issued an arrest warrant in September and he was arrested by Pennsylvania State Police in Lehigh County on Oct. 12, police said.

Hilltown Township Police took custody of Pena-Roman on Oct. 15, where he was later arraigned.

Pena-Roman was represented by public defender Ann Marie Theresa Nasek.

All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.