Jury Convicts Former Michigan Village Manager Of Fraud
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Todd Allen Gardner, the former Village Manager and Treasurer of the Village of Stevensville, Michigan, has been found guilty by a jury of wire fraud. Gardner, as village manager and/or treasurer, had primary authority over village bank accounts to pay for village expenses and to purchase goods for the village. He faces up to 20 years in prison on the conviction at a sentencing hearing scheduled for October.
According to U.S. Attorney Donald Davis of the Western District of Michigan, the jury heard evidence that from April 1, 2006 to May 31, 2009, Gardner abused his authority by misappropriating approximately $270,000 of Village of Stevensville funds for his own use and benefit, including to pay the mortgage on his house, to pay his utilities and dry cleaning bills, and to purchase a sport utility vehicle. Gardner wired the funds for his own use out of bank accounts designated for “public works,” “major streets,” a “building fund,” “construction administration,” and the “Downtown Development Authority.” Gardner did not testify in his own defense and, after hearing all of the evidence, the jury took less than an hour to convict him.
This was “a case about a corrupt public official,” stated U.S. Attorney Davis. “As I have said before, the respect and confidence the citizens place in their governmental institutions is dependent upon the honest and faithful services of the governmental employee. This office will aggressively pursue and prosecute governmental employees who violate their solemn oath and duties. We did so here, and justice was served.”
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Gardner conviction is wrong
In the years that I have been following this case and listening to people around town, there are a few things wrong with this Gardner's trial, conviction, etc.
1. He was never the treasurer. As manager, he did sign checks, etc. as part of his job, but never was he at any time acting treasurer. He certainly wasn't bonded, as treasurers always are. It was widely known that they needed a treasurer and Gardner was constantly saying this as well.
2. The accountant who came in to check the accounts after Gardner left was the same accountant who resigned from the Village when Gardner came on. Why was he the one who discovered the embezzlement? It is suspicious that this Steve Ross guy has not been questioned more closely....
3. Gardner is a really smart man who challenged the status quo in his community. I mean, the corrupt practices of several people and authorities were under the gun due to Gardner's probing. Yet we are to believe that while he was raising major issues and controversies he was also stealing funds? Why not steal the funds quietly?
4. Is there anything about sending wires or making charges on a signature card that could not be faked by powerful and dishonest people? All it would take is a gullible public to pull it off and a defendant with little financial resources.
5. By all accounts, Gardner remained calm and stoical at his sentencing hearing. Is that the behavior of a desperate man, or one with poise and integrity? Very interesting to consider.
More newspapers need to pay attention to this and reporters need to dig deeper.
Todd Gardner
As some one who knew this man ( or thought she knew) lets just say that charisma and a good personality does not make a person automatically equipped with a moral conscience. Lets say He is innocent. My question, and being that I am very close to Todd Gardner ( closer than most ) is why did you not say a single word in court proclaiming your innocence? I was in the last hearing where he was sentenced and not a squeak, not even one comment was uttered. All I know is a man with four children and a sick wife does not just let the court decide what to do and think that silence is his ticket to not guilty, and if he was innocent he would have fought harder. Because he had something worth fighting for. You can think you have someone figured out and you dont.
Stevensville Idiots
I think we know our own father. When judgement day comes God will know who was innocent.