Ex-treasurer Convicted For Embezzlement From Hancock-area Organizations
Thursday, a man from the Hancock region was given a jail sentence of 18 months for misusing $50,443 that belonged to two community organizations. Mark K. Boyer, the Circuit Court Judge of Washington County, refused the defense's plea for a postponement of sentencing, citing that John P. True had not done enough to reimburse the Tonoloway Rod & Gun Club located near Hancock and the James W. Bowers Masonic Lodge of the same city. In October, as per court documents, True submitted an Alford plea to the accusation of fraudulently and deliberately misappropriating funds from both organizations. True had been the treasurer for both groups prior. An Alford plea does not affirm guilt but concedes that the prosecution has sufficient proof to guarantee a conviction. The plea agreement led to the dismissal of felony theft charges and other counts. Boyer declared on Thursday that, though he's uncertain where the funds that True had wrongfully taken had gone to, he was not confident tha...