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Condo thief gets jail, probation, pension forfeiture
YOUNGSTOWN
A Boardman woman has been sentenced to five years’ probation, and must spend the first six months of it in Mahoning County jail, after she pleaded guilty to stealing from the Sunset Knoll Condo Association while serving as its bookkeeper.
Elizabeth A. Gorski, 49, of Maramont Drive, drew the sentence for grand theft Monday from Judge Lou A. D’Apolito of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
She was immediately taken into custody in the courtroom by sheriff’s deputies.
The judge also ordered Gorski to forfeit the $33,484 value of her State Employees Retirement System pension to the condo association as part of her restitution.
Gorski resigned in February after about 24 years with the Boardman schools, where she was a clerk in the board of education office, who cataloged school library materials.
The prosecution said Gorski stole about $100,000 from the condo association between October 2009 and December 2012, but she has made no restitution to date.
Gorski, who has no prior criminal record, stole money from fees paid by the condo owners for maintenance of the Boardman condominium complex, said Michael McBride, an assistant county prosecutor.
Jim Marino, president of the 30-member condo association, said the theft totaled about $109,000, of which $25,000 was paid by insurance.
“She shows no remorse to anybody. ... We would like to get restitution. If not, I’d love to see her spend time in jail,” Marino told the judge.
The association experienced bounced checks; the banks said all accounts had been drained; and condominium residents, many of them in their 80s and 90s, found their streetlights turned out, he said.
Ohio Edison explained the electric bill for them hadn’t been paid in six months, he said.
“I’m deeply sorry. I know I screwed up. I know I made a mistake, and I’m totally sorry. I did not mean to do it,” Gorski said, without offering the judge any explanation for her crime.
Gorski’s lawyer, Sam Amendolara, said his client has never abused drugs, was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy in 2008 and is on disability.
Gorski’s condo, appraised at $114,000, is being sold at 1:30 p.m. today in a sheriff’s sale in the county courthouse basement. The minimum bid is $76,000.