Man faces accusation on theft of gasoline
CLEVELAND (AP) -- The city is auditing its use of gasoline after a former worker was accused of stealing $6,200 worth of gas from the city water department.
Ronald Kokely, 54, a water department laborer, was indicted June 2 by a Cuyahoga County grand jury on charges of misuse of a credit card, theft in office and possessing criminal tools. His arraignment was set for Monday.
The only phone listing for a Kokely in Cleveland was not in service Sunday.
Employees use city-issued credit cards to buy gas for city-owned vehicles.
A colleague saw Kokely fill a gas can Oct. 17 at a pump at a Cleveland Water Department facility in Parma Heights, police said. The employee told police that Kokely put the can in his own car.
Kokely, a city employee since 1985, was fired, and officials launched an audit of gasoline used by all city departments since 2003, said Frank Badalamenti, the city's internal audit chief.