By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

The Alabaster Police Department has brought one more theft charge against Alabaster resident Roseanna Paulin Borelli, after police said she allegedly pocketed nearly $30,000 donated to help cover her son’s medical expenses.

Police arrested Borelli on March 5 and charged her with one count of first-degree theft by deception. The arrest came about six months after she was arrested on charges of stealing money intended to fund a special-needs playground at Pelham’s Linda Nolen Learning Center.

Alabaster Deputy Police Chief Curtis Rigney said the March 5 arrest came after an Alabaster Police Department investigation into Borelli’s fundraising activities on behalf of her special-needs son, Joey Paulin.

“She solicited donations from individuals as well as companies,” Rigney said. “She would tell people that she was struggling financially because of her son’s large medical expenses. Many fundraisers were held to assist her with these bills, including golf tournaments, Christmas shows and spaghetti dinners.

“Our investigation shows that nearly $30,000 was raised by the good people of Shelby County,” Rigney added. “However, less than one half of 1 percent actually went to her son’s medical expenses.”

In September 2011, police said Borelli allegedly stole about $6,400 intended to help fund the special-needs playground at LNLC. According to Rigney, those funds allegedly were spent on such items as restaurants, online dating services, hotels and clothing.

Borelli currently is being held in the Shelby County Jail on a $15,000 bond.