Wilk has paid back nearly all the money she took and said she is getting treatment for a gambling problem.
Elizabeth Wilk wipes away tears during her sentencing in Hampshire Superior Court on charges stemming from her theft of $115,198 from The Friends of the Chicopee Library.NORTHAMPTON – The past treasurer for the Friends of the Chicopee Public Library was sentenced Monday to serve 90 days in jail and more than two years of probation for stealing $115,198 from the charity.
Elizabeth Wilk, 57, appeared in Hampshire Superior Court Monday to face sentencing after pleading guilty in March to using her position as vice president of Chicopee Savings Bank and volunteer treasurer of the Friends of the Library to siphon money from the charity’s account to feed a gambling habit.
Friends of the Library trustees did not request jail time since Wilk has paid back the money, but Hampden Assistant District Attorney James C. Orenstein said he believed more punishment is deserved because of the size of the theft and fact it had been going on for years.
The case was prosecuted by the Hampden District Attorney's office but moved to Northampton because the judge was assigned there.
“It was obvious to us this was a tremendous amount of money to this organization,” Orenstein said.
Hampden Superior Court Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder could have sentenced Wilk to as much as five years in prison. Orenstein recommended a 2½ year sentence with one year behind bars.
Wilk’s lawyer Michael O. Jennings asked to keep her out of jail, instead recommending probation and suggesting supervised community service, electronic monitoring and treatment requirements.
A gambling problem, which started with a weekly $20 spent on scratch tickets and escalated to regular visits to casinos, was the reason she stole the money, Jennings said.
Since being caught, Jennings talked about how Wilk sold her wedding ring and she and her husband, a retired Chicopee police officer, had to refinance their home to pay back the money. He also emptied his 401(k) retirement account and sold an antique car he had had for 30 years.
Her final payment of $2,000 was made minutes before the sentencing. She continues to owe $198, but that came from a math error, lawyers said.
Through tears, Wilk read a statement apologizing to the city and the Friends.
“It is with tremendous shame, sadness and guilt I take full responsibility,” she said.
She told the judge she has been attending Gamblers Anonymous meetings.
“It (gambling) turned me to a thief and resulted in personal and professional betrayals,” she said.
Kinder agreed it is the largest theft he has ever presided over but said Wilk’s “spotless record” was a factor in the sentencing.
“It is crystal clear you have abused a position of trust, not in one but in two ways,” he said, referring to her job as bank vice president as well as treasurer for the charity. Wilk has been fired from the bank.
The thefts took place over three years, from December 2007 to the time the embezzling was discovered in September 2010. During that time, she had plenty of time to consider the crime, Kinder said.
Along with the three months of jail time and the more than two years of probation, Kinder required her to continue treatment for a gambling problem and serve 100 hours of community service. She must also pay the remaining $198 to the charity.
Kinder agreed to delay the start of the sentence until June 27 at the request of Jennings.
Several members of the 14-person board of trustees for the Friends of the Library attended the sentencing. Organization president John L. Michon said he was satisfied with the outcome, even though the organization did not receive the requested interest on the stolen money or reimbursement to pay legal fees.
“Having the funds repaid was a priority because it is the people’s money,” he said.
The Friends raised the money mostly through small events such as art shows and spaghetti suppers. It is used to fund library programing and to purchase equipment that cannot be funded with the regular city budget.
