S. Indiana official stole for meth
EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- A former Vanderburgh County deputy auditor pleaded guilty to embezzling nearly $28,000 in taxpayer money, saying he needed the cash to buy methamphetamine for a habit that began while he worked 16-hour days processing tax bills.
Todd Hochstetler was sentenced Wednesday to four years in a county work-release program. He earlier paid the county $30,088 in restitution, which covered the costs of the investigation.
Hochstetler was the county's chief deputy auditor until Auditor Bill Fluty fired him in May.
Around that time, Fluty discovered Hochstetler had used his position to fraudulently generate property-tax refund checks totaling nearly $28,000, prosecutors said. The refund checks were issued for a duplex that Hochstetler and his girlfriend rented but did not own.
"I used meth as a crutch to help me through the long days and nights," Hochstetler wrote in a letter to the court. "Because of my behavior, I developed financial problems as well. I abused the public trust by obtaining money from public funds."
See the rest of this story at: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051013/NEWS01/510130498/1006
Does anyone else see the seriousness and extended reach of this drug? If you read the entire story, you will find that at least they are also going to put him through drug treatment! This is absolutely necessary and that is not even a guarantee that meth users will not go back to the drug!!!
posted by Kim | 3:59 PM
3 Comments:
This is my cousin. You'd have to know him to realize what a change in character and behavior this drug has caused in him.
Once a responsible upstanding young man with so much potential... and this drug took that man away and left in its wake a man willing to steal from an employer that he worked so hard for in the past.
Todd is working so hard to make a change. Meth is a scary drug and takes so much from a person before those around them really know.
-d
Hi! I am holding a listening event in the Evansville Area this Wednesday evening. I agree with many of your ideas and insight in to the Meth problem. In Evansville, IN we have had a blitz on Meth lab elimination over the last few years. Our law enformcement men and women have done an outstanding job. Our current administrartion in Washington has axed many of the programs that have made the war on Meth easier for the good guys. We want our community to know what is going on and how extensive the problem is - not only in Vanderburgh CO., but in Indiana as a whole. Do you have any exciting stats or suggestions for relevant links? Kinda in a time crounch, but I am seeing that this is the norm for Nonprofits! Thank you, in advance, for your help. Susie Gough (Communities United to Strentghen America)
You would think that he would of learned by his mistakes. You never recover from meth. You can try but it gets a hold of your life, espically with Todd...He has done it again. He is currenty in jail on domestic violence for hitting his pregnant girlfriend. He deserves to be locked up for good.
-z
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home