By Brad Segall

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) — Three Montgomery County, Pa. women are facing numerous charges including theft and welfare fraud for allegedly stealing public housing assistance dollars from the county and the federal government.

Authorities say an investigation revealed that Tracey Warren of Pottstown and Terry Holmes and Megan Benson of North Hills continually falsified their respective public housing applications by failing to report who was living in the house and how much income there was.

The total amount stolen, according to authorities, was nearly $125,000.

Montgomery County prosecutor Kevin Steele says a crime like this hurts the people who really need the assistance.

“For people to have income coming in, for people to have assets that are available to them and take that away from people that need these public assistance dollars, it’s not fair,” Steele said today.

If the women are convicted, Steele says, the county will be vigilant about getting the money back.  He says these arrests should serve as a warning to others who falsify their information.

All three women are free on unsecured bail.