COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Columbus police officer is facing 10 years in prison for misappropriating and selling surplus property the police department received through a U.S. Department of Defense surplus equipment program.
Steven Dean pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court in Columbus has pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from a program receiving federal funds and one count of theft of public property.
The office of the U.S. Attorney in Columbus says an investigation by Columbus police, the FBI and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service found property worth $252,000 had been diverted from a defense department program.
According to court documents, Dean, 49, diverted construction equipment, vehicles, restaurant equipment and diesel generators, the Division of Police had received through the Defense Reutilization Marketing Office program between October 1, 2005 and June 1, 2012.
Investigators and prosecutors say Dean resold nearly $150,000 worth of the property to people or businesses and $94,163 worth to scrapyards.
Dean pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from a program receiving federal funds and one count of theft of public property, each of which carries a 10-year maximum sentence but the terms of his plea bargain with authorities states that the sentences will not be served consecutively, according to the office of U.S. Attorney Carter Stewart. Dean will also pay back $251,570.94, less the value of the recovered equipment.
Judge Michael Watson did not set a sentencing date.
A message was left with Dean’s lawyer.