August 5, 2003
Trenton,
NJ — A former employee of the Mercer County Park Commission pled guilty today
to embezzling more than $75,000 from his employer over the course of three and a
half years, Acting Mercer County Prosecutor Charles E. Waldron announced.
According
to Prosecutor Waldron, Sam Raymond (DOB 7/6/69), of the 1600 block of Richmond
Avenue, Trenton, pled guilty before Mercer County Superior Court Judge Maryann
K. Bielamowicz to one count of third-degree official misconduct and one count of
third-degree theft. He is scheduled to appear before Judge Bielamowicz on
October 10 for sentencing.
The
plea agreement calls for Raymond to serve a five-year probationary sentence and
make additional restitution in the amount of $40,000.
Raymond presented the county Park Commission with a $13,000 check at the
time of his resignation in October 2000.
An
eight-month joint investigation by the prosecutor’s Economic Crime Unit and
the Mercer County Park Commission revealed Raymond was able to pilfer
approximately $50,000 from county golf course revenues through an elaborate
scheme of dummy bank deposit slips and substituting checks for cash.
The remainder of the stolen monies came from payroll, team entry fees,
picnic permit fees and indoor tennis revenues.
Raymond began his employment with the county sometime in 1992. At the time of his resignation, he was as administrative analyst and assistant payroll supervisor for the Park Commission.