FRACKVILLE - State police charged Ryan Township's tax collector Wednesday with stealing more than $171,000 owed to Mahanoy Area School District.
William G. Wildoner, 71, of 689 Barnesville Drive, Barnesville, surrendered to authorities and is charged with one felony count each of theft, receiving stolen property and theft by failure to make required disposition of funds.
Wildoner, who has been the township's tax collector for 35 years, was arrested by Trooper Bernard Walasavage of the Schuylkill Haven station and charged with stealing $171,145 between Jan. 1, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2010.
Walasavage said the thefts came to light April 1, when Wildoner told school district finance officer Michelle Lavelle that he lost a tax deposit for $171,145.
Wildoner told Lavelle that he would send a letter to all the residents who had paid their taxes and advise them to issue another check, Walasavage said. He provided Lavelle with a copy of the letter and list of the taxpayers' names, but Lavelle said the situation seemed odd.
Walasavage said Lavelle spoke to the district business manager and checked the reports and deposit slips provided by Wildoner, along with a computer-generated list of taxes paid.
"All of the numbers did not add up and $171,145 was missing and unaccounted for as of the end of the 2010 tax year," Walasavage said in an affidavit of probable cause.
The trooper said he wrote a letter to the taxpayers asking for information needed for the investigation. Several people responded and confirmed they paid their taxes for 2010 and 2011 and that the checks were cashed by Wildoner.
"They related that they never received any correspondence from the defendant advising that their deposit was lost and requesting a new check be issued for payment of 2010 taxes," Walasavage said.
On June 3, Walasavage said he interviewed Wildoner, who gave a voluntary statement to police. Wildoner admitted taking tax payments beginning in the 2009 tax year and also for 2010 in the form of cash and checks written out personally to him, Walasavage said.
"He admitted that the money taken was not deposited as required and he in fact used the monies for personal expenses to include medical bills, prescription bills and gambling," Walasavage said.
Walasavage said Wildoner cooperated throughout the investigation, which remains ongoing.
Asked if he knew why Wildoner stole the money, Walasavage said, "I believe he was overwhelmed with expenses, unexpected expenses."
Wildoner was arraigned Wednesday by Senior Magisterial District Judge Elizabeth Romig and released on $25,000 unsecured bail. Romig scheduled a preliminary hearing for 10 a.m. Wednesday in her Frackville courtroom.
During his arraignment, Wildoner told the judge that he had collected $40 million in taxpayers' money during his years as tax collector.
Wildoner has yet to resign his post as tax collector, however, and it is difficult to replace him until he does so.
"The public trust has been violated. I hope he will do the right thing and resign," Ryan Township supervisors Chairman Champ Holman said Wednesday. "I would hope we can move on it quickly."
Holman said it is the supervisors' job to appoint a tax collector if Wildoner resigns. If he doesn't, it will be up to the voters to vote him out. He was elected, with no opposition, to a four-year term in 2009 and won't be up for re-election until 2013.
Holman said there are also court proceedings that would allow the township to appoint a new tax collector if Wildoner doesn't resign.
Mahanoy Area School District Acting Superintendent Joie L. Green would not comment on the case Wednesday due to the ongoing investigation.
Business manager Jack Hurst said that although the district is short the amount of money Wildoner allegedly stole, it hopes to be reimbursed soon.
"Our bonding company should reimburse us for the funds," he said.
Walasavage said the district is reviewing all its financial records and more charges could be filed.
"There may be more charges. ... We are still looking at every avenue," Walasavage said.