A woman who gambled away over $96,000 from an East Texas nonprofit was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years probation, nearly two months in jail, and significant restitution.
Dawn Michelle Pitcock, 54, the accountant for the Hand Up Network in Tyler, pleaded guilty to property theft ranging from $30,000 to $150,000.
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According to judicial documents, she was sentenced to 10 years probation and ordered to perform 240 hours of community service. She must also pay $117,010.65 in restitution and serve 50 days in the Smith County Jail as part of her probation.
According to the arrest complaint, Hand Up Network CEO Sam Smith got a fraud alert, suggesting that the nonprofit’s debit card had been used twice at a Lake Charles casino. Pitcock, who frequently used the card for business, claimed she used it by mistake and refunded the money.
According to documents, Smith later uncovered 283 Apple.com purchases totaling $96,826.58 between March 11, 2024, and January 13, 2025. Pitcock revealed in an interview that she had an online casino app on her phone for several years but claimed to have removed it in November 2024.
During the investigation, she claimed she had no idea how the purchases had transpired.
Smith stated that the Hand Up Network is very grieved by one of its employees’ betrayal of trust.
“We acted immediately to safeguard Hand Up Network’s accounts, our team, and the clients we serve, making sure no further harm could be done,” Smith told the press.
