Texas man pleads guilty in $193,000 theft scheme involving former Licking County employee
COLUMBUS − A Texas man admitted to his role in the theft of nearly $193,000 from Licking County through a scheme involving false invoices approved by the county's former building services director.
William Crawford, of Frisco, Texas, pleaded guilty Monday to felony counts of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, theft, and tampering with records, just prior to the start of a jury trial in Licking County Common Pleas Court, according to a Tuesday press release from State Auditor Keith Faber.
Crawford's sentencing is scheduled for March.
The Licking County Sheriff’s Office contacted the state auditor’s Special Investigations Unit in June 2018 over concerns about the work of former Licking County Building Services Director Donald Dunston.
Dunston, 58, of Blacklick, was fired in May 2018 after questions arose about his potential improper use of a county-issued credit card to purchase fuel for a vehicle not owned by the county.
Licking County Commissioner Tim Bubb said county officials discovered Dunston was getting more fuel than his car would hold. Then, video evidence showed Dunston putting gas in the vehicles of friends or family after filling up his car's tank.
The commissioners fired Dunston, but that was only the beginning of the story.
“Then, we discovered he’d been stealing more than gas,” Bubb said. “We went to his office and started investigating his spending. He had been buying more than he needed, or materials we didn’t need. And things were not adding up.
“We started calling vendors in Texas to verify what was ordered and shipped and found they were fictitious companies. We couldn’t find all the suppliers.”
A subsequent review of Dunston’s purchasing activities as building services director uncovered several questionable transactions, including payments made to an alleged janitorial service owned by Crawford, Dunston's former neighbor in Texas.
Court documents explained the scheme allegedly involved arranging for two accomplices from Frisco, Texas, to submit more than 120 “phony invoices.” They said Dunston authorized the invoices to be paid to the accomplices and when Licking County paid the invoices, the funds were allegedly split among the three co-conspirators.
SIU attorneys, who were appointed as special prosecutors in the case, identified six checks totaling $19,203 that were paid to a Texas business, Whirl of Windy, for supplies and services that were not provided to the county.
Windy Miller, of Frisco, Texas, owner of the business, was indicted for her role in the case and pleaded guilty in September 2021 to a single felony count of theft. Miller was sentenced to 10 days in jail, five years of community control, and fined $2,500.
SIU also determined that 109 checks totaling $173,469 were paid to Crawford’s business, Crawford R.A.W. Janitorial, through fake invoices approved by Dunston, knowing that no supplies or equipment were provided to the county.
“They did it gradually and after two or three years of that, it added up,” Bubb said. “Sometimes, they did ship the materials. It’s hard to know what we got and what we didn’t. The inventories did not match what had been spent and ordered.”
Dunston was indicted on multiple felony counts (engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, theft in office, telecommunications fraud, theft, and tampering with records) in October 2021. His case is pending in Licking County Common Pleas Court, but Bubb said his case may be resolved in March.
Dunston has already made restitution in the case in the amount of $192,673. He began working for the county on Dec. 19, 2012, as supervisor of building services. He was promoted to facilities director on Jan.24, 2017 and earned a salary of $68,989 in 2017.
Bubb said COVID concerns and Crawford’s own delay tactics dramatically slowed the prosecution of the case, but the March sentencing may finally wrap it up.
“We give the state auditor all the credit,” Bubb said. “I feel good we caught it and had our day in court. And they’re making restitution.”
Bubb said new safeguards have since been put in place, with a second person now checking such purchases.
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Texas man pleads guilty theft scheme involving Licking County worker
