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Former county employee pleads guilty to felonies
By Carole Cloudwalker
This document was published online on Thursday, December 04, 2008
Former Park County Buildings and Grounds Superintendent Mike Vowell last week changed his plea to guilty on two misdemeanor and two felony charges.
He was placed on probation and received a suspended jail sentence.
Vowell was terminated by the county commissioners last spring after he allegedly ordered an irrigation pump, fittings and pipe in the name of the county and then forged the names of two of his employees when he picked up the items.
Vowell was charged with two misdemeanor counts of wrongful appropriation of public property (taking the pump, pipe and fittings) and two felony counts of forgery, according to court documents.
He initially pleaded not guilty to the charges, explaining that he merely “borrowed” the items from the county for use at his South Fork home.
His plea change hearing took place before District Judge Steven Cranfill, who sentenced him.
Vowell had been scheduled for a court appearance in late December and a jury trial in January, based on his earlier not guilty plea.
In documents filed with the court this fall, Vowell's attorney Robert DiLorenzo of Emblem stated his client, who is 54, has several ongoing medical problems including depression, and that on Oct. 15 Vowell suffered a stroke that affected his speech.
Park County Attorney Bryan Skoric said based on the fact that the theft and forgeries represented Vowell's first offense, and considering his health issues and family situation - court documents indicate his wife suffers from a chronic medical condition and they are raising two grandchildren - a prison term was unlikely to be imposed.
“I'm pleased with the outcome and with the sentence imposed,” Skoric said Wednesday. “The state is comfortable with that.”
The county attorney added that “for the amount of money involved, the punishment was sufficient - he lost his job and ... reputation.”
He said Vowell will be on supervised probation for five years on the felony charges and was sentenced to 60 days in jail on the misdemeanor charges, a punishment that was suspended because of circumstances.
Skoric said judges are not eager to impose jail time on people with serious medical problems, depending on specific situations.
“Adjudication is deferred” on the felony charges, Skoric said. “That means he's been placed on five years' supervised probation.
“If he completes the parole for his first-time offense, there is no sentence.”
If he violates parole, a sentence will be imposed, Skoric said.
Vowell originally faced a potential maximum sentence of 22 years in jail and fines up to $22,000.
He must pay the victims' compensation fund $150 for each of the four charges to which he pleaded guilty, Skoric sad.
In addition Vowell is required to make restitution to the county in the amount of $745 for the pump, pipe and fittings, Skoric said.
Vowell also must pay $80 in court costs and $75 that all felons are assessed.
Once the fines are paid, “he will get the pump,” Skoric said. “The county never had a need for that pump.”
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F.ELYAR wrote on Dec 5, 2008 12:54 AM: