Former Mine Hill NJ Fire Department Treasurer Pleads Guilty to Embezzling $330,000.00
By Travis Tormey posted in Theft Offenses on Thursday, October 31, 2013
The former treasurer of the Mine Hill NJ Fire Department pleaded guilty to embezzling $330,000.00 from the department.
In Morris County Superior Court, 40-year-old Mine Hill resident Lisa Ayers admitted that she had stolen the money from January 2007 through February 2013 and used it for personal reasons, including paying off her mortgage and paying off her family’s motor vehicle loans.
Ms. Ayers’ thefts included 53 checks totaling more than $77,000.00, which she used to make payments on the mortgage loan for her home. Ms. Ayers also used 58 checks totaling nearly $24,000.00 to make payments on her family’s car loans.
Ms. Ayers reached a plea agreement with the state Attorney General’s Office. As a result of the agreement, Ms. Ayers will pay nearly $230,000.00 in restitution. The agreement also calls for Ms. Ayers to forfeit the two (2) vehicles she had purchased with the stolen money: a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer and a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado. Ms. Ayers’ plea agreement will settle a civil lawsuit by the Attorney General Office.
In court, Ms. Ayers broke down in tears as she admitted stealing the money.
As a result of her plea agreement, Ms. Ayers will be sentenced to five (5) years in New Jersey State Prison. Had Ms. Ayers gone to trial, she could have faced a much longer prison sentence. In New Jersey, theft by deception is addressed by N.J.S.A. 2C:20-4. According to the statute, a person commits second degree theft by deception if the property obtained through deceit is valued at more than $75,000.00. Second degree theft by deception is punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to ten (10) years in state prison.
For more information, read the NJ.com article entitled “Mine Hill Woman Admits Embezzling $330K from Fire Department to Pay Her Mortgage, Car Loans.“
