WILMINGTON — A jury found a local woman guilty of grand theft for embezzling money from the former Clinton-Massie Pee Wee Cheer organization.
Nicole L. Allgeyer, 39, of Wilmington, will be sentenced on the fourth-degree felony conviction on May 22 at the Clinton County Common Pleas Courtroom. Judge John W. “Tim” Rudduck encouraged parties to calculate restitution prior to the sentencing hearing, and directed prosecutors to file a memo on the amount of restitution sought and to whom the reimbursements should be paid.
The original indictment alleged Allgeyer stole $14,164 from the organization. The jury’s official verdict document states the jurors found the total amount taken by the defendant was more than $7,500 but less than $150,000 — the range that qualifies her conduct to be grand theft as charged.
The Clinton-Massie Pee Wee Cheer group was intended to support third- through sixth-grade cheerleader girls at Clinton-Massie Local Schools. The group was independent from the school system in that it was not overseen by the school nor did it receive any funds from the school or proceeds from ticket or concession stand sales, stated a Clinton County Sheriff’s Office report.
In early April 2015, several parents of girls involved with the cheer group went to the county sheriff’s office and alleged that the woman who held financial responsibility of the group, Allgeyer, had operated it suspiciously.
The sheriff’s report stated the suspicious transactions did not include debit card withdrawals made to businesses for uniforms, accessories and cookie dough for fundraising.
After an investigation was conducted by the sheriff’s office into the parents’ allegations, the report stated, “A large amount of groceries and fuel were purchased with the organization’s debit card.”
Aside from groceries and fuel, other items bought with the debit card, according to the sheriff’s office report, were a Western hat, animal de-wormer, horse brushes, a garden flag, a steel bistro set, wood chips, dog food, cigarettes and cell phone charging accessories.
According to court papers in the case file, Allgeyer did not have a criminal record prior to the grand theft charge.
Following a two-day trial and the jury’s finding of guilt, Allgeyer’s local defense attorney Scott Evans filed a motion to set aside the guilty verdict. Among his assertions in the filing are that nearly half of all purported transactions occurred outside Clinton County; five other people besides Allgeyer had access to the debit card; and that the specific evidence presented at trial did not equal or surpass the $7,500 threshold for grand theft.
In a court entry file-stamped Monday, April 3, Rudduck denied Evans’ request that the verdict be set aside.
Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768.
