Guilty plea comes in Liberty embezzling case

WARREN — A court-ordered presentencing investigation will determine whether a Vienna man will get jail time or probation.

Brent Liller, 41, of Warren-Sharon Road, Vienna, pleaded guilty Monday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court to embezzling more than $160,000 from a company in Liberty where he worked as a chief financial officer.

Judge Peter Kontos ordered the investigation and background check on Liller, charged by Liberty police with aggravated theft after money went missing from Valley Electrical Consolidated on Tibbets Wick Road and two affiliated companies, Evets Electric Inc. and RexMar Management Services LLC, between December 2006 and June 2008.

Assistant Prosecutor Chris Becker said Liller’s charge is a third-degree felony, which could carry a penalty of one to five years in jail or a fine of $10,000. He said the investigation and background check will determine Liller’s punishment.

“They’ll talk to the victims, talk to him to see what his chances are of turning his life around and what his chances are of being a repeat offender,” he said. “It’s an investigation into him to see if he’s a good candidate for probation or some other type of punishment.”

Becker said Liller made personal purchases using a company-authorized American Express credit card.

“Basically he was creating false payroll accounts and dummy employees to misuse a company credit card,” he said.

Becker said it was agreed to set the losses at approximately $162,000, which is close to the amount covered by the business’s insurance company. He said a restitution of $5,000 will also have to be paid.

Becker said the investigation should take about six weeks to complete.