Former golf course controller pleads guilty to theft by swindle

Emily Cutts, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
·2 min read

Apr. 27—A former controller for Somerby Golf Course in Byron charged with stealing nearly $500,000 from the club pleaded guilty Monday to four counts of theft by swindle.

Gordon Craig Perkins, 64, pleaded guilty in Olmsted County District Court to four counts of theft by swindle.

Perkins worked as controller for the golf course from December 2011 until he was fired in August 2019. As controller, Perkins "handled all the money, expenses and bills," the complaint reads.

Perkins is charged with using thousands of dollars of the golf course's money for personal use on things like groceries, HVAC services, appliances, auto repair work, dental bills, medical bills at the Mayo Clinic, accounting and legal fees, local nail salons, many restaurants, time shares, air travel, hotels, car rentals, and monthly mobile phone services, according to the criminal complaint.

Monday's plea comes months after an Olmsted County District Court judge told attorneys he would throw out an earlier plea deal, calling a proposed $6,000 in restitution "laughable."

In January 2020, Perkins was charged with seven counts of theft by swindle, seven counts of theft-divert corporate property and one count of issuance of dishonored check. All 15 charges are felonies.

Perkins pleaded guilty on Sept. 23, 2020, to five counts, but withdrew his guilty plea after Judge Joseph Chase said he would not hand down the recommended sentence.

"You don't take hundreds of thousands of dollars and hope to avoid prison," Chase said at the November 2020 sentencing hearing. "If restitution as it now turns out is not possible, then I just cannot go along with this plea agreement. I can't live with this."

Prosecutors filed an amended criminal complaint in March 2021 charging Perkins with four counts of theft by swindle and one count of issuing a dishonored check. The dishonored check charge will likely be dismissed at sentencing.

Court records indicate that prosecutors have recommended a "middle of the box" prison sentence for Perkins, which would be 45 months. The plea agreement also noted that if adopted by the court, Perkins would be ordered to pay $473,186. 37 to Federal Insurance Company and $25,000 to Somerby Golf Club.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 28.