Ex-Niles official gets six months in jail for stealing $142,772

WARREN

Phyllis J. Wilson, who stole $142,772 over 4 1/2 years as city of Niles assistant treasurer, was led away this morning to begin a six-month sentence in the Trumbull County jail.

She will not serve a prison term, but she forfeits her $1,176 per month in public retirement benefits “until it is paid,” Judge Andrew Logan of Trumbull County Common Pleas said.

Wilson, 62, of Russell Avenue in Niles, pleaded guilty earlier to theft in office. Chris Becker, assistant Trumbull County prosecutor, asked Judge Logan to give Wilson prison time because of the seriousness of the offense and because she violated a position of trust in the community.

A state audit said she took the $142,772 between January 2009 and the point when she retired in June 2013.

Becker told Judge Logan its unlikely that Wilson will pay back the entire $142,772 because her monthly PERS over the five years of her probation will come up $72,000 short of the entire amount.

Her entire PERS cannot be liquidated now because she retired before investigators uncovered the missing money, Becker said.