Former Lakewood fire chief gets jail, probation for stealing nearly $100,000 from nonprofit

OCONTO - Oconto County Circuit Court Judge Michael Judge described the sentencing of erstwhile Lakewood Fire Chief Christopher Thomson, who was convicted of stealing astir $100,000 from the nonprofit helium served arsenic treasurer for, arsenic a conundrum.

A situation condemnation would amended acceptable Thomson's crimes, Judge said, but would forestall Thomson from opening to wage backmost the $128,339.49 helium was ordered to wage successful restitution to the Lakewood Fire Department Association, a nonprofit that raises funds chiefly for the Lakewood Fire Department. Instead, Judge sentenced Thomson, 42, to probation with 1 twelvemonth of conditional jailhouse time.

"This antheral should spell to prison," Judge said. "If I nonstop him to prison, there's nary acceptance of accountability oregon work to astatine slightest statesman immoderate payments to the association. Therefore, reluctantly, this tribunal volition find that probation would not depreciate the offenses that occurred implicit hundreds of times."

Following an probe into discrepancies successful the association's checkbook and records, authorities said Thomson stole $90,516.58 from the relation betwixt Feb. 17, 2020, and Oct. 31, 2024, according to a transgression complaint. Thomson, who served arsenic the treasurer betwixt 2020 and 2024, pleaded nary contention March 5 to 7 of the 22 felonies helium was charged with, including:

• Three counts of individuality theft to get wealth oregon credit.

• One number of theft successful a concern mounting betwixt $10,000 and $100,000.

• Two counts of uttering forgery.

• One number of fraud against a fiscal institution, with worth exceeding $500 but not exceeding $10,000.

At his May 5 sentencing, Thomson apologized for stealing the money, which helium said was utilized to wage bills and enactment his family. He apologized straight to the Lakewood Fire Department, the association, the tribunal and the Oconto County Sheriff's Department arsenic they "gave maine a batch of trust, and I fto them down."

"I privation I would person conscionable asked my household for assistance instead," Thomson said. "I was excessively embarrassed to inquire for help, and this is wherefore I'm present today."

'It's each astir trust'

Current Lakewood Fire Chief Eric Johnson addressed the tribunal earlier Thomson's sentencing. Thomson's actions person affected the full community, Johnson said, and helium believes Thomson could person stolen adjacent much than helium was convicted of.

"I worked close alongside him to rise money, sole intent for serving the community, for our occurrence department, and what helium reported arsenic being existent is acold little than what was raised," Johnson said. "Allegedly astir apt took funds consecutive disconnected the coffers."

Trust betwixt occurrence departments and their communities is vita due to the fact that occurrence departments are mostly volunteerl, Johnson said. They trust connected fundraisers and donations from the assemblage to financially enactment themselves, helium said.

"(Thomson) damaged the sanction of the Lakewood (Fire Department) Association and Lakewood Fire Department successful that assemblage and beyond," Johnson said. "The spot successful the assemblage to the Lakewood (Fire Department) Association has been damaged severely by this individual, and it's going to instrumentality a agelong clip to retrieve that."

Prosecution, defence jointly urge probation with conditional jailhouse time

Oconto County District Attorney Hannah Schuchart and defence lawyer Nicole Morley presented Judge with a associated sentencing proposal of six years' probation, which would see 1 twelvemonth successful jailhouse arsenic a condition.

The proposal asked for a stayed and imposed condemnation of 4 years of archetypal confinement and six years of extended supervision if Thomson's probation is revoked. Thomson besides indispensable wage $128,339.49 successful restitution to the association.

Probation addresses Thomson's rehabilitative need, his punishment and works to marque the victims full again by starting restitution payments sooner, Morley said. Rebuilding the spot Thomson's actions broke wrong the assemblage and returning the stolen funds to the relation are a apical precedence successful this case, Schuchart said.

"It wasn't thing that was a azygous transaction. It spanned years, and evidently this benignant of coming retired to the community, it is simply a usurpation of trust," Schuchart said. "And it's a usurpation of the religion that the members of the assemblage placed successful the section to marque bully usage of their contributions."

'I privation I could bash much for the municipality of Lakewood'

Thomson's victims are plentiful arsenic helium not lone wounded the association, but "so galore antithetic individuals," Judge said. The superior factors Judge said helium was looking astatine were restoration and justness for the occurrence section association, which played a ample origin successful his determination not to nonstop Thomson to prison.

"I privation I could bash much for the municipality of Lakewood," Judge said. "But I cannot, different than what has been recommended to maine by the authorities of Wisconsin and by the defense."

The gravity of Thomson's offenses grew due to the fact that they occurred implicit aggregate occasions, Judge said. It wasn't a mistake, helium said, "that's what you telephone being a thief."

"Every clip you looked astatine that checkbook that doesn't beryllium to you and the monies that don't beryllium to you, truthful galore times you had to think, 'This isn't mine, but I'm going to instrumentality it anyway,'" Judge said. "This wasn't a one-time taking of a purse oregon a complaint card. It was hundreds of times, and it made beingness easier for you."

Judge sentenced Thomson to six years' probation with 1 twelvemonth of conditional jailhouse time, pursuing the associated recommendation. If his probation is revoked, Thomson volition look 4 years successful prison.

Judge besides sentenced Thomson to required monthly payments toward restitution. Within the archetypal 2 months of his merchandise from jail, Thomson volition person to wage astatine slightest $100 per period to the association. The monthly outgo volition summation to $250 aft six months and $500 aft 1 year.

Vivian Barrett is the nationalist information newsman for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. You tin scope her astatine [email protected] oregon (920) 431-8314. Follow her connected X, formerly Twitter, astatine @vivianbarrett_.

This nonfiction primitively appeared connected Green Bay Press-Gazette: Christopher Thomson erstwhile Lakewood Fire Chief sentenced for embezzlement