Widow of Slain Hideout Officer Demands Answers on Memorial Fund

Tinesha Duran says Angel Alliance won’t provide a bank statement. She received $30,000. She believes more was raised.

LAKE ARIEL — Tinesha Duran wants one document: a bank statement.

Her husband, José Alberto Duran Jr., was shot and killed September 28 while working as a public safety officer at The Hideout. He was 55. He left behind Tinesha and three children — Justin, Kiana, and Imani.

In the weeks after his death, the community raised money. A GoFundMe. A memorial fund at Honesdale National Bank. A motorcycle ride. A night at the races.

Now, 69 days later, Tinesha Duran is publicly accusing the people who control some of those funds of stonewalling her.

“It’s been 11 days since I have NOT heard from Brian Carchedi from Angel Alliance and Andrew Miller,” Duran wrote in a Facebook post this week. “All I asked for was the bank statement from Angel Alliance for the month my husband’s foundation was opened, that’s all.”

“Instead of just showing me the proof in black and white, I’ve received radio silence, crickets.”

The Money

Multiple fundraising efforts launched after Officer Duran’s death:

The Hideout Elves GoFundMe: $50,626 raised from 467 donations. Donations are now paused. The campaign stated funds would be “equally divided” among Duran’s three children.

The José Duran Memorial Fund: Established at Honesdale National Bank. Duran’s obituary, published October 1, directed donations to this fund “at the Hideout POA or any HNB location.”

Allegiance Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club ride: Held October 26 from Baer Harley-Davidson in Honesdale to Draft’s Bar & Grill in Lake Ariel. Entry was $20 per rider, $15 per passenger. WNEP reported “all of the money raised from the ride will go directly to Duran’s family through the Jose Duran Memorial Fund.”

“Night of the Races” fundraiser: Details unclear. Tinesha Duran says proceeds from this event, including a 50/50 raffle prize, have not been deposited.

According to Tinesha Duran’s posts, she has received $30,000, which she distributed among herself and her children. She says $6,000 remains in the foundation’s bank account.

But she believes more money exists — specifically, $4,000 she says is held in Angel Alliance’s account, plus the Night of the Races proceeds.

The Players

Brian Carchedi: Identified by Tinesha Duran as the person who runs Angel Alliance and who she says created what he called the “Official Jose Duran Foundation.” According to Duran, Carchedi is the only person with access to the foundation’s bank account. “He can access everything from his phone,” she wrote, referencing a screenshot she says he sent her.

Andrew Miller: Identified by Tinesha Duran as president of The Hideout’s board of directors and as a board member of Angel Alliance.

Angel Alliance Inc.: A registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 83-4500437. According to Charity Navigator, the organization files IRS Form 990-N — an abbreviated annual filing permitted for charities reporting less than $50,000 in gross receipts. Organizations at this filing level are not required to publicly disclose detailed financial information.

The Pocono Review could not independently verify the officers or board members of Angel Alliance through publicly available records.

The Accusations

Tinesha Duran’s posts contain specific allegations:

Conflicting information about deposits: She says Andrew Miller initially told her checks may have been deposited “by mistake” into Angel Alliance’s bank account, then later said they were not. “How do I know which story is true?” she asked.

Expenses charged to donations: She says she will share text messages indicating that expenses for opening the foundation “MAY be charged to the foundation using donations.”

More information than the widow: “What’s even more upsetting is that Andrew Miller has more information about court dates and changes than I do as the widow,” Duran wrote. “How can that be?”

Lucas Aron Gartrell, 26, is charged with 14 counts in connection with Officer Duran’s death, including first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer. His December 4 arraignment in Wayne County Court was postponed after Public Defender Steven Erik Burlein filed a last-minute motion for continuance. No new date has been scheduled.

Who She’s Not Accusing

In a follow-up post, Tinesha Duran named organizations she says have been transparent with her:

Help a Hero’s Foundation
Drafts Restaurant
Palermo’s Restaurant
ALEMC Bikers (Allegiance Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club)
The Hideout Elves

“These businesses have been honest with me,” she wrote. “I appreciate their honesty and want the community to continue to support them.”

The Hideout Elves, a Lake Ariel fundraising group, organized the GoFundMe campaign.

What the Law Requires

Under federal law, 501(c)(3) organizations must provide copies of their three most recent Form 990 filings to anyone who requests them. The IRS can impose penalties on organizations that fail to comply.

However, organizations filing Form 990-N — the “e-Postcard” for small nonprofits — are not required to disclose detailed revenue, expenses, or officer compensation because that information is not collected on the abbreviated form.

In Pennsylvania, charities soliciting more than $25,000 in contributions must register with the Department of State’s Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations and file annual financial statements. Organizations receiving less than $25,000 and using only volunteer solicitors are exempt from this requirement.

Seeking Comment

The Pocono Review has contacted Brian Carchedi, Andrew Miller, and The Hideout Property Owners Association for comment. This story will be updated with any responses.

Tinesha Duran could not immediately be reached for additional comment.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact The Pocono Review.

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