Wadsworth accountant sentenced
MEDINA - A Wadsworth resident’s use of three aliases put him
in prison for six months Friday.
During Donald Tiger’s sentencing hearing for a February felony forgery
conviction, his lawyer argued that while the 41-year-old did business
under the three aliases, no harm was done, and he used them to protect
himself and his family from "church zealots".
Attorney David Sheldon said the 37 days Tiger, of 560 West St., has
spent in the Medina County Jail is adequate punishment.
Common pleas Judge Christopher L. Collier did credit Tiger for time
served, but sentenced him to six months in prison. After his release,
Tiger will be on five years probation, the legal maximum.
Collier said he will review the sentencing in three months to
determine Tiger’s eligibility for home arrest.
Tiger also will have to complete 200 hours of community service
following his release.
In court testimony, Tiger, a certified public accountant, was said
to have funneled thousands of dollars of church funds from Restored
Church of God through an account at the Charter One Bank in Wadsworth
under the name Gregory H. Walburn, one of his three aliases.
Walburn, who lives in Lorain, has acknowledged giving Tiger
permission to use his name and characterized the trial as a witch
hunt.
Records show a minister at Restored Church of God feared Tiger, the
church’s accountant, was embezzling money.
No church money was missing. But, said Wadsworth Detective Daniel
Boyd, a search of Tiger’s West Street home in June 2000 led
investigators to two storage lockers containing three sets of
documents for aliases.
During Tiger’s trial, two employees of Charter One in Wadsworth,
where Tiger did business, identified him as a man they knew us
Walburn.
Tiger also used the aliases Richard C. Russell and Walter J. Nobel.
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