Ex-Bristol trustee sentenced for stealing funds

By RICK MORAIN

For The Jefferson Herald

A Greene County district court judge on Monday sentenced Christine Durlam, 52, of Bristol Twp., to two 10-year prison terms, to run concurrently, for embezzlement of Bristol Twp. funds while she was a trustee of the township.

Judge Adria Kester accepted Durlam’s plea of guilty to two Class C felonies and one aggravated misdemeanor.

They were one count of first-degree theft, one count of identity theft and one count of the aggravated misdemeanor of third-degree fraudulent practices for submitting a false summary statement of receipts and disbursements to the Greene County Auditor’s Office.

Kester suspended the prison sentences and placed Durlam on probation for two to five years.

As part of the probation terms, Durlam must obtain gainful employment and pay restitution to the township for whatever portion of the embezzled funds remains outstanding.

Durlam’s thefts took place over a period of about four years, according to Greene County Attorney Thomas Laehn. Durlam used the township checkbook to write fraudulent checks to herself and for services ostensibly performed for the township but which never took place, such as tree work for the township cemetery, snow removal, mowing and similar services.

The thefts totaled $28,906.62, according to court documents filed by Laehn. 

Questions about the township’s funds first arose in June of 2019, when payments to the towns of Jefferson, Churdan and Scranton for fire services, as reported in the township’s financial documents, did not square with payment receipt information as reported by the three towns, according to Laehn.

At first it was thought that the discrepancies were probably accounting errors, Laehn said, but he recommended an investigation to be sure.

The investigation was undertaken by Greene County Sheriff’s Sgt. Shane Allen. Laehn said Allen was selected because Sheriff Jack Williams is also fire chief of Jefferson, and therefore Williams might have become a witness in the case. 

Allen looked into the township’s bank records, where the thefts were discovered. 

Christine Durlam had been appointed to the township trustee position by the Greene County board of supervisors in 2014, succeeding her husband, Justin Durlam, in that position after Justin was appointed township clerk.

Christine Durlam told the court that she took full responsibility for the thefts. She said she forged her husband’s name on township checks as part of the fraud, and that her husband was unaware of the thefts.

Both Durlams have stepped down from their township positions.

The embezzlement incident is the only such case involving a public official in Greene County since Laehn joined the county attorney’s office in June of 2017, Laehn said. Theft of public funds is extremely rare in Greene County.

Christine Durlam has reportedly paid restitution of $15,060 of the embezzlement total into the township’s bank account, leaving $13,846.62 still owed, Laehn said. Kester will need to accept the accounting of those funds before they become official numbers.

Durlam’s guilty plea was accepted on Jan. 21. Laehn explained that the case was moving on schedule when the coronavirus pandemic hit in March, delaying the proceedings. 

Laehn said that the sentencing hearing could have been held by videoconference, but when it became evident that a large number of witnesses might be called, it was decided to wait until the state’s judicial system returned to open court. In addition, Laehn thought the public should have the right to view the proceedings in person.

Kester rejected the sentencing recommendations of both Durlam’s defense attorney, Joel Baxter, of Guthrie Center, and Laehn, representing the state.

Baxter had asked for a deferred judgment with probation of two to five years. Under those terms, unless Durlam were to violate probation, the charges against her would have been erased from her record.

Laehn had recommended two 10-year prison terms on the two felonies and six months in the county jail on the aggravated misdemeanor, as a deterrent to any future similar crimes by public officials. He then called for suspension of the prison terms, but letting the six-month jail sentence stand. He asked for probation once the jail sentence were to be completed.

Laehn explained that while Durlam was in prison, her restitution to Bristol Twp. would have been impossible, and since the township owed fire service fees to the three towns, an increase in taxes on property in Bristol Twp. might have been required. He therefore asked for suspension of the prison sentences.

Kester’s written sentence following Durlam’s guilty plea is expected soon, and in all probability it will be as the judge indicated in Monday’s sentencing hearing.