LAKE ARIEL, PA — Wayne County District Attorney A.G. Howell announced today the arrest of Patricia Ann Hamlin, age 59, of Lake Ariel, Wayne County, Pennsylvania. Hamlin was arrested and charged with one count of Identity Theft, graded as a misdemeanor of the 1st degree, one count of Forgery (unauthorized acts in writing), graded as a misdemeanor of the 1st degree, one count of Forgery (utters forged writing), graded as a misdemeanor of the 1st degree, one count of Tampering with Records or Identifications, graded as a misdemeanor of the 1st degree and one count of Disorderly Conduct, graded as a misdemeanor of the 3rd degree.

According to the criminal complaint affidavit of probable cause filed by Wayne County Detective Michael McMorrow, the investigation began on January 24, 2025, following a complaint by The Hideout Property Owners Association Public Safety Department.

On January 22, 2025, a Hideout Public Safety Officer was on patrol and came upon an overturned vehicle inside The Hideout. The Public Safety Officer rendered aid and while doing so, discovered numerous red Hideout parking permits littered on the roadway. These permits were confiscated and upon review of the permits, they were found to be fraudulent.

The permits were copied onto red card stock paper and listed the name of a Public Safety Communications Officer who has not been employed at The Hideout since September 11, 2024.

The official Hideout permits are printed on a red colored printer paper. However, the confiscated permits were printed on a lighter-colored red, heavier card stock paper and were purportedly issued by the ex-employee.

Additionally, authentic Hideout permits have directions listed on the permits to the registered homeowners’ address and each permit is printed front and back. The confiscated passes did not contain this information nor were they printed double-sided.

Internal records list that the last time Patricia Hamlin received a permit from The Hideout Public Safety for her vehicle was June 6, 2023.
Hamlin is required to have a valid permit issued weekly due to the fact she is currently in suspension status with the POA and based on this investigation, it appears that these fraudulent passes in question were made to bypass going to public safety on a weekly basis.

Detective McMorrow contacted Hamlin by telephone and she admitted that she was using the passes because her gate access device was turned off due to non-payment of her HOA fees.

Hamlin's next court appearance is scheduled for February 19, 2025, at 9:00 am in the Wayne County Courthouse.

*The filing of criminal charges is not evidence of guilt but simply a description of the charge made by the Commonwealth against a defendant. A charged Defendant is presumed innocent until a jury returns a unanimous finding that the Commonwealth has proven the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt or until the defendant enters a guilty plea to the charges.