OTTAWA — A Delphos accountant was sentenced Tuesday to 40 days in jail for stealing $17,250 from the Kalida Band Boosters.
Jennifer Edelbrock, 48, paid the money back before her hearing Tuesday as part of an agreement with the prosecution for a recommendation against incarceration. But Putnam County Common Pleas Judge Randall Basinger said the crime occurred over a period of time and hurt a community.
“The $17,250 you took here was money raised by a community of students and parents doing fundraisers, and learning about what it takes to finance an organization being the band in this case,” Basinger said. “It reflects more than just a theft, it reflects an incredible breach for a community and their efforts that you took advantage of, repeatedly.”
Edelbrock told the judge she prepared taxes and had hoped to make enough money to repay that which she took before anyone noticed the money was missing but she was arrested before she could.
Basinger said he heard other thieves say that in the past.
She apologized for what she did. Her attorney, Bob Grzybowski, said she knows she embarrassed her family and her community while betraying their trust.
Edelbrock also has a pending felony case in Allen County where she is charged with two counts of grand theft accused of stealing money from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in Spencerville. She is scheduled to stand trial Jan. 5.
Edelbrock also is being sued by an insurance agent who accused her of stealing more than $300,000 of investment funds from employees of his agency including himself. She has not been charged in that case.
Authorities raided the Edelbrock-Reitz accounting firm at 945 E. Fifth St., in Delphos, on May 19, as part of an investigation into possible financial crimes. Complaints to police officials about the firm led to the investigation and raid, police officials said.
.neFileBlock {
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
padding-bottom: 5px;
padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
font-size: 85%;
}
