Former Worthington Deputy Marshal pleads guilty to conversion

Greene County Daily World, gcdailyworld.com
BYLINE: Sabrina Westfall, Editor

Worthington, OH

The former Worthington Deputy Marshal accused of taking money from an evidence locker was sentenced in Monroe County last week.

Donald Richardson appeared in Monroe Circuit Court on Friday for a change of plea and sentencing hearing. He pleaded guilty to count II, which was conversion, a Class A misdemeanor.

Count I, Class D felony official misconduct, was dismissed.

Richardson was arrested in March of 2014 on a warrant related to allegations of taking money from an evidence locker at the Worthington Police Department, as well as altering an official document from 2012 to reflect the amount of missing cash.

Indiana State Police Master Trooper Det. Stacy Brown investigated the allegations into the missing funds and altered document. He submitted a probable cause affidavit detailing the allegation.

Worthington Town Marshal Randy Raney reportedly noticed the keys to the evidence locker were out of place Nov. 30, which prompted him to look in the locker. He found a plastic evidence bag he believed contained about $1,300 had been torn open and $200 was missing. After looking for the corresponding documentation, Raney said the file was missing.

He purportedly also checked the digital file to find it had been modified a couple weeks beforehand, and showed the evidence included $1,089.10. A check with the Prosecutor's Office's documentation allegedly showed there should have been $1,290.10 in the evidence bag.

Special judge, Monroe Circuit Judge Kenneth Todd, and Special Prosecutor Barry Brown were appointed to handle the case.

Richardson was sentenced to 180 days in the County Jail, with 178 days suspended and one day of credit for time served in jail.

Court records show he will be on probation for 360 days, ordered to pay $200 of restitution to the Worthington Police Department and must pay $183 in court costs and $35 in fines.

Richardson must also complete 100 hours of community service.

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