Ex-Bristol Twp. Parks Director Pleads Guilty In Theft Case

A former Bristol Township department head was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty to charges stemming from the misuse of municipal funds.

Jessica Lynn Ireland, 41, of Bristol Township, pleaded before Bucks County Court of Common Pleas President Judge Raymond McHugh to theft and misapplying entrusted government property.

According to a Bucks County Courier Times report, Ireland was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to repay the township.

The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office withdrew several other offenses ahead of a preliminary hearing in the spring.

During Monday’s sentencing, Township Manager Randee Mazur read a victim impact statement in which she said Ireland misused her “position of responsibility” and acted in a “deliberate” and “repeated” manner.

Mazur told the judge the theft victimized township staff and “every resident who entrusted us to safeguard public resources.”

Ireland began working for Bristol Township in 2020 as the confidential secretary to the township manager. She was promoted to parks and recreation director in July 2025.

Public records show her employment with the township ended by early 2026. She previously worked for Tullytown Borough.

According to a probe by Bristol Township police, Ireland was supposed to transfer administrative access to the municipality’s Amazon Business account to the new secretary following her promotion but failed to do so.

Mazur noticed unauthorized charges on the Amazon account in September 2025, police said.

Investigators later determined there were 370 unauthorized purchases totaling about $14,000 between March and December 2025.

Ireland initially told officials the charges were a mistake and that she believed she was using her personal account, police said.

When questioned by investigators, however, Ireland allegedly said she had “impulsivity of spending money without knowing before it is too late.”

Ireland used her personal Venmo account to collect $340 for raffle tickets during the Bristol Township Fall Festival. The money was never turned over to the municipality, police said.

Ireland also was accused of taking four $100 deposits intended for building rentals, according to police.

In December 2025, officials discovered that Ireland’s personal T-Mobile phone bill was being charged to a municipal credit card that belonged to the previous parks and recreation director, police said.

Mazur and Bristol Township Council implemented new policies in February aimed at preventing theft.