(Aug. 31, 2017) Mark Widgeon, the former Showell Volunteer Fire Department treasurer, will serve five years in jail and pay $150,000 in restitution after entering a guilty plea to a felony theft scheme in circuit court on Monday.
Judge Broughton Earnest sentenced Widgeon to the maximum of 15 years in the department of corrections with all but five suspended. Widgeon will be on supervised probation for five years after being released.
Lynn Nixon, Worcester County assistant state’s attorney, told Earnest the financial improprieties started in September 2009 and continued until 2013, only coming out when Widgeon was sentenced to a year in jail following a fifth drunk driving conviction.
Over a several year period, Nixon said Widgeon had used bank debit cards to withdraw over $100,000 in cash from fire department bank accounts. Included in Widgeon’s spending spree were vehicle repairs, airplane tickets, clothes, gifts and jewelry, as well as lodging and bar tabs from multiple states.
“He paid for medical expenses and alcohol counseling,” she said. “He paid for dating services on the internet.”
Nixon said investigators uncovered evidence that Widgeon sent a wire transfer using funds from a fire department bank account to purchase a truck for more than $19,000 from a vehicle dealer in Texas.
In an attempt to cover his tracks, Nixon said Widgeon changed the address associated with a fire department bank account to his home mailing address.
“I can only characterize it … as just pure greed,” she said. “Living beyond his means and lifestyle … based on tax dollars and community support.”
The long-term theft scheme came to a grinding halt in October 2013 when Widgeon was given a year in jail for his fifth DUI offense.
“At that point he would no longer be treasurer and the books were turned over, or what was left of the books,” she said. “He did a relatively good job trying to cover up the tracks he left behind.”
Harry Hammond Jr., a three-decade veteran with the fire department, took over as treasurer in January 2014.
“I was truly appalled by what I found,” he said. “It breaks my heart for something like this to happen to our fire department.”
Hammond said the financial picture he discovered was bleak, with huge amounts of cash unaccounted for dating back to the beginning of Widgeon’s time as treasurer, in 2001, and numerous creditors refusing to extend the fire department credit because of unpaid bills.
“As he took more money the fire department became financially unstable,” he said. “It almost caused the doors to be shut for good for the Showell Volunteer Fire Department.”
Warren Sinclair, a four-decade veteran with the fire department who was assistant treasurer under Widgeon, said he was stymied in his attempts to lend support.
“He would tell you he never needed anything because I would ask,” he said.
Sinclair said he was prepared to quit the fire department unless Widgeon was held accountable for his actions.
“I’m not going to be part of an organization that doesn’t have anything done when someone steals from us,” he said. “Whatever he gets is not good enough for me.”
Widgeon’s attorney, Cullen Burke, said he advised his client to refrain from apologizing while criminal charges were pending to avoid self-incrimination.
“Mark has wanted to apologize [and] he shed tears in my office,” he said. “He’s been prepared to fall on his sword the entire time.”
Burke also implored Earnest to consider the turmoil Widgeon went through while explaining his actions to his employer, wife and family.
“Any sentence we can fashion here … can’t be any worse than having to tell your kids I did something bad,” he said.
Burke also said as a member of a tight-knit community, the court of public opinion has already punished Widgeon.
“You live in a small town,” he said. “When you go sideways everybody knows it.”
Speaking prior to sentencing, Widgeon became misty eyed as he characterized himself as a “lost person.”
“It’s almost a blur now,” he said. “When I look back it’s trying to have things I couldn’t and be someone I couldn’t be.”
In considering sentencing, Earnest said while Widgeon does not present a physical danger to the community, there is a clear and present danger of another sort.
“The organization that provided the keys to the coffers was a nonprofit,” he said. “The harm is more diffuse because it effects the whole community.”
Based on the wealth of examples indicating the wide array of spending undertaken by Widgeon, Earnest said he had to side with the state’s argument.
“It’s one thing to take money for food to eat,” he said. “I’m inclined to agree with the state this was greed.”
Among the numerous aggravating and mitigating circumstances Earnest cited were the length of time involved in the theft scheme.
“One of the ironies … a man who apparently had an alcohol problem of a serous nature and he steals money to pay for his alcohol treatment,” he said. “If that’s not ironic I don’t know what is.”
Widgeon, who handed over a check for $57,000 in court towards $150,000 in restitution, has until Nov. 30 to pay the remaining $93,000 balance.
Widgeon was also ordered to write a letter of apology to the Showell Volunteer Fire Department.
He can apply for a reconsideration of sentencing after restitution is paid in full. Burke indicated to the court his client would file a motion to modify the sentence within 90 days.
Judge Broughton Earnest sentenced Widgeon to the maximum of 15 years in the department of corrections with all but five suspended. Widgeon will be on supervised probation for five years after being released.
Lynn Nixon, Worcester County assistant state’s attorney, told Earnest the financial improprieties started in September 2009 and continued until 2013, only coming out when Widgeon was sentenced to a year in jail following a fifth drunk driving conviction.
Over a several year period, Nixon said Widgeon had used bank debit cards to withdraw over $100,000 in cash from fire department bank accounts. Included in Widgeon’s spending spree were vehicle repairs, airplane tickets, clothes, gifts and jewelry, as well as lodging and bar tabs from multiple states.
“He paid for medical expenses and alcohol counseling,” she said. “He paid for dating services on the internet.”
Nixon said investigators uncovered evidence that Widgeon sent a wire transfer using funds from a fire department bank account to purchase a truck for more than $19,000 from a vehicle dealer in Texas.
In an attempt to cover his tracks, Nixon said Widgeon changed the address associated with a fire department bank account to his home mailing address.
“I can only characterize it … as just pure greed,” she said. “Living beyond his means and lifestyle … based on tax dollars and community support.”
The long-term theft scheme came to a grinding halt in October 2013 when Widgeon was given a year in jail for his fifth DUI offense.
“At that point he would no longer be treasurer and the books were turned over, or what was left of the books,” she said. “He did a relatively good job trying to cover up the tracks he left behind.”
Harry Hammond Jr., a three-decade veteran with the fire department, took over as treasurer in January 2014.
“I was truly appalled by what I found,” he said. “It breaks my heart for something like this to happen to our fire department.”
Hammond said the financial picture he discovered was bleak, with huge amounts of cash unaccounted for dating back to the beginning of Widgeon’s time as treasurer, in 2001, and numerous creditors refusing to extend the fire department credit because of unpaid bills.
“As he took more money the fire department became financially unstable,” he said. “It almost caused the doors to be shut for good for the Showell Volunteer Fire Department.”
Warren Sinclair, a four-decade veteran with the fire department who was assistant treasurer under Widgeon, said he was stymied in his attempts to lend support.
“He would tell you he never needed anything because I would ask,” he said.
Sinclair said he was prepared to quit the fire department unless Widgeon was held accountable for his actions.
“I’m not going to be part of an organization that doesn’t have anything done when someone steals from us,” he said. “Whatever he gets is not good enough for me.”
Widgeon’s attorney, Cullen Burke, said he advised his client to refrain from apologizing while criminal charges were pending to avoid self-incrimination.
“Mark has wanted to apologize [and] he shed tears in my office,” he said. “He’s been prepared to fall on his sword the entire time.”
Burke also implored Earnest to consider the turmoil Widgeon went through while explaining his actions to his employer, wife and family.
“Any sentence we can fashion here … can’t be any worse than having to tell your kids I did something bad,” he said.
Burke also said as a member of a tight-knit community, the court of public opinion has already punished Widgeon.
“You live in a small town,” he said. “When you go sideways everybody knows it.”
Speaking prior to sentencing, Widgeon became misty eyed as he characterized himself as a “lost person.”
“It’s almost a blur now,” he said. “When I look back it’s trying to have things I couldn’t and be someone I couldn’t be.”
In considering sentencing, Earnest said while Widgeon does not present a physical danger to the community, there is a clear and present danger of another sort.
“The organization that provided the keys to the coffers was a nonprofit,” he said. “The harm is more diffuse because it effects the whole community.”
Based on the wealth of examples indicating the wide array of spending undertaken by Widgeon, Earnest said he had to side with the state’s argument.
“It’s one thing to take money for food to eat,” he said. “I’m inclined to agree with the state this was greed.”
Among the numerous aggravating and mitigating circumstances Earnest cited were the length of time involved in the theft scheme.
“One of the ironies … a man who apparently had an alcohol problem of a serous nature and he steals money to pay for his alcohol treatment,” he said. “If that’s not ironic I don’t know what is.”
Widgeon, who handed over a check for $57,000 in court towards $150,000 in restitution, has until Nov. 30 to pay the remaining $93,000 balance.
Widgeon was also ordered to write a letter of apology to the Showell Volunteer Fire Department.
He can apply for a reconsideration of sentencing after restitution is paid in full. Burke indicated to the court his client would file a motion to modify the sentence within 90 days.