Judge rejects plea deal in American Legion theft case in Union County

A Union County judge rejected a plea agreement that would have wrapped up the American Legion Post 410 theft case in Mifflinburg, keeping the matter open and canceling a scheduled sentencing hearing for Pamela D. Hackenburg, 56, of Millmont. Judge Michael Piecuch said the deal did not hold Hackenburg accountable, a decision that leaves one of the county’s most closely watched local theft cases unresolved.

Hackenburg had pleaded no contest on April 28, 2026, to a felony theft by unlawful taking charge and a misdemeanor tampering with records charge. The case stems from allegations that she stole $50,095 from American Legion Post 410 at 320 Chestnut St. in Mifflinburg, where local reporting said she had served as treasurer and bookkeeper and became treasurer in September 2023. The plea rejection means the case remains active in Union County Court of Common Pleas in Lewisburg instead of ending with a negotiated sentence.

The fallout reaches beyond a single ledger. American Legion Post 410 is part of The American Legion, the veterans organization chartered by Congress in 1919, and it has long functioned as a community hub in Mifflinburg. The Mifflinburg American Legion Auxiliary Unit 410 marked its 100th anniversary in 2024, underscoring how deeply the post is woven into borough life. When money entrusted to a post is allegedly siphoned off, the impact can touch everyday operations, from event planning and fundraising to the support work that local veterans’ groups are expected to provide.

Hackenburg’s name has also drawn attention because she was sentenced in 2025 in a separate case involving Gregg Township. In that case, she received two to four years in state prison and two years of probation for stealing more than $530,000 in public funds. That earlier sentence adds to the scrutiny now centered on the Mifflinburg case and the way a volunteer-led institution handled its finances.

For Union County residents, the judge’s refusal to approve the deal signals that the court is not prepared to let the case end quietly. The next steps will return the dispute to the courtroom, where accountability for the alleged loss to a well-known Mifflinburg institution will be tested again before the case can be resolved.