A former Otsego Public Schools administrator faces a hearing on felony charges that he embezzled from the school district.
Thomas Matthews, 45, was charged December 7, 2009 with three counts of embezzlement of between $1,000 and $20,000. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and fines of the greater of $10,000 or three times the amount embezzled.
Matthews, who is free on $500 bond, declined to comment on the charges.
“This is a very unfortunate situation for all parties,“ Otsego Public Schools Superintendent Dennis Patzer said.
Matthews was hired in 2000 as the school district’s transportation director and in 2004 was also put in charge of building and grounds maintenance and given the title of operations director. He was among four employees whose jobs were eliminated June 30 to help the district offset a budget deficit for the 2009-10 school year.
Patzer said Matthews’ job loss and the alleged theft of school funds are unrelated. The embezzlement allegedly occurred in 2004, but wasn’t discovered until late September of this year, according to the superintendent.
Patzer declined to say how much money is involved or reveal other details about the case, which was investigated by the Otsego Police Department. Attempts to reach Allegan County Prosecutor Frederick Anderson and Matthews’ attorney, James Mikel McEwen, were unsuccessful.
A preliminary examination on evidence against Matthews is scheduled in Allegan County District Court. A judge will decide whether evidence presented is sufficient to send the case to circuit court for trial.
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