Oil City Man Accused of Forging Medical Excuses for Daughter

| March 24, 2018

OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) – An Oil City man is facing criminal charges after it was discovered that his minor daughter was using forged medical excuses at Oil City Middle School.

According to a report released on Friday afternoon by the Oil City Police Department, Thomas H. Scott, 44, of Oil City, was arrested on charges arising out of an ongoing truancy matter with the Oil City Middle School.

On March 19, 2018, the Oil City Police Department was contacted by the staff of the Oil City Middle School after they discovered what were apparently fraudulent/forged school absentee excuses.

Officers conducted a follow-up investigation at the school and learned that a student had submitted a series of medical excuses for absentee, some of which drew suspicion by the staff earlier in the week. They provided those documents to police for investigation.

Officers then conducted a follow-up at Butler Health Systems Seneca Medical Center. In speaking with management level staff, it was confirmed that the medical excuses were not authentic and were not given to Scott for his child. Further, one of the three medical provider’s names, identities, and credentials used in the creation of the excuses has not been employed at BHS-SMC since mid-summer of 2017, according to the complaint.

On March 23, 2018, officers of the Oil City Police Department were present at a truancy hearing held at District Court 28-3-01. After the hearing, officers spoke with Scott regarding the investigation.

At that time, Scott allegedly admitted he knew the medical excuses were fraudulent/forged, but given his circumstances, he provided them to his child to present to the Oil City Middle School as authentic documents, the complaint states.

Scott was taken into custody upon admission to the crimes and transported to the Oil City Police Department.

He was arraigned at 2:00 p.m. before Magisterial District Judge Andrew F. Fish on the following charges:

– Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Forgery, Felony 3 (eight counts)
– Forgery, Felony 3 (eight counts)
– Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Identity Theft, Misdemeanor 1 (eight counts)
– Identity Theft, Misdemeanor 1 (eight counts)
– Corruption of Minors, Misdemeanor 1 (eight counts)

Scott is currently free on $15,000.00 unsecured bail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 8:30 am on Wednesday, March 28, with Judge Fish presiding.

According to the Oil City Police Department, this investigation will continue, as the Oil City Police Department expects to make future arrest(s) in relation to this criminal conspiracy.


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