The former president of the Boyertown American Legion Post 471 is accused of stealing $19,781.54 from the organization. Last month, the Eastern Berks Regional Police Department arrested Valentine K. Bartchak, 60, of Pottstown.

            He faces five felony counts: two each for theft by unlawful taking, access device fraud and one for theft by deception, according to information posted on a state judicial website. Authorities claim Bartchak utilized a Visa credit card and a Visa debit card to make multiple personal purchases over an eight-month period last year.

            Late last year, the department responded, on Dec. 2, to the Legion post – located at 106 Walker Drive – for the report of theft and fraud. Board members discovered that one of their bank accounts had been over-drafted, a credit card was nearly maxed out, carrying a balance and accruing interest.

            Bartchak – who became president of the Legion in March or April of 2025, then resigned in November – controlled the credit card and the account, according to the police criminal complaint filed in the Boyertown court of District Judge F. Richard Drumheller.

            Bartchak allegedly used the cards to make purchases at convenience stores, retail stores – including Amazon.com – for personal consumption, rather than expenses related to the bar business. The board members did not approve the purchases and did not receive the merchandise.

            According to the affidavit of probable cause, Bartchak made 61 ATM withdrawals with the debit card in King of Prussia and Pottstown. It states that several deposits were made at these locations. However, no Legion board member could explain a legitimate reason for them to be occurring.

            Police claim Bartchak purchased $2,590.61 worth of items from Amazon, including WNBA trading cards, men's clothing, women's cologne and Nike sneakers. He also signed up for Newsmax, Consumer Cellular phone service and monthly insurance premiums.

            William Johannessen, the board's treasurer, told police the organization's safety deposit box at its bank was missing $17,040.35 when he checked on it in October. According to court documents, Bartchak entered it alone on May 16, 2025 and again on June 6, July 7, July 28, Aug. 4 and Aug. 29.

            During a Jan. 9 police interview, Bartchak told police he visited the safety deposit box alone several times last month to deposit documents he found around the office. However, he said he never saw any cash in the deposit box, according to the legal document.

            Wernersville District Judge Ann L. Young set bail in the case at $5,000 unsecured during a March 17 preliminary arraignment. A preliminary hearing, before Saylor, is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on April 1.