More details revealed as DeShon petitions for lighter sentence in R-3 School embezzlement case

Ron DeShon, the school official who pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $844,000 from the Pattonsburg R-3 School District, is finding that the government opposes his request to depart from the normal guidelines for sentencing. The motions involved offer some details about the crime made public for the first time. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

Deshon petitioned the court for a light sentence, stating that he voluntarily surrendered to authorities on Oct. 13, 2004, and was motivated by remorse about his gambling habit. In a legal document filed by DeShon’s attorney, Kenneth C. Hensley of Raymore, DeShon states that discovery of his offense was not likely or imminent at the time DeShon turned himself in to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. According to the petition, DeShon was ready to answer school board questions about the bus and the Worlds of Fun expenses on the evening of Oct. 13, that a recent audit had been completed, and that DeShon’s activities with MOSIP funds had gone completely undetected.

DeShon argues that his confession saved the school district, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney General’s office from cost and effort that would have been involved in an investigation that might have been initiated at a much later date without his disclosure and cooperation.

Thus, DeShon argues for a departure from the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines in a petition now before the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri.

The prosecution’s response, filed last week, argues that DeShon knew “his house of cards was collapsing, that discovery was not only likely or imminent but had already occurred.” The response states that DeShon “anticipated the matter coming up at the meeting that evening” and that “he intended to confess his crime… and resign from his position as superintendent.”

In the response, the U.S. Attorney’s Office further notes that the bookkeeper for the school district, Latrenda Snider, learned DeShon had altered a check she had written in September 2004, in the amount of $20,437.67 payable to the Blue Bird Body Company for the purchase of a new bus. When the bus company contacted her advising it had not received payment, she obtained a copy of the canceled check from the bank and discovered that DeShon had altered the original check and made it payable to himself. In an attempt to conceal the fraud, DeShon had removed the photocopy list of checks from the September 2004 bank account statement. She later learned the bus company was paid with a personal check from DeShon.

When the school district learned of this, inquiries were made. Craig Lambert, school board president, called MOSIP to check on the district’s account. He was advised the balance in the account was $14, not the approximately $800,000 reflected on the account statement furnished by DeShon. The events detailed below followed:

Oct. 11, 2004 – The school district contacted its attorney, Joe Gall, and advised him there were problems with DeShon regarding check(s).

Oct. 12, 2004 – An Emergency Executive Session of the school board was called for the following evening to confront DeShon about the altered check and the discrepancy with the MOSIP account

Oct. 13, 2004 – That morning DeShon talked with two school district employees, Latrenda Snider and Chris Gannon. DeShon asked who had been calling MOSIP and asked if Ms. Snider had been talking to a board member. When she replied that he needed to talk with Mr. Lambert, Deshon seemed very upset. DeShon then told Ms. Gannon, the high school principal, that he had hidden some money and that Latrenda Snider had turned him in.

Oct. 13, 2004 – That morning attorney Joe Gall, who had obtained and reviewed copies of the altered check, called the U.S. Attorney’s Office and left a message, intending to report the altered check and the discrepancy in the MOSIP account. A deputy returned that call in the afternoon, advising Mr. Gall that DeShon was currently in the office.

Thus, the U.S. Attorney’s Office argues that DeShon believed that his discovery was not only likely or imminent but had already occurred. The response to DeShon’s petition, submitted by U.S. Attorney Todd P. Graves by Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Parker Marshall, argues against a downward departure of sentencing but does agree that DeShon “is entitled to a reduction of three levels for timely acceptance of responsibility.”