Following a preliminary hearing held Tuesday a former Hellertown Borough Councilman accused of stealing nearly $40,000 from Dewey Fire Company by falsifying timesheet records for himself while he was employed as the head of Dewey EMS is likely headed to trial in Northampton County Court, local newspapers reported.
John M. Bate was the Dewey EMS Captain until 2015 (FILE PHOTO)
John Bate, 57, of Ilona Drive, Hellertown, who remains free on $5,000 unsecured bail, had his charges sent to the court and has not been offered a plea agreement, the Morning Call reported, citing Assistant District Attorney Laura Majewski.
Bate is charged with felony theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception and receiving stolen property, and misdemeanor misapplication of entrusted property.
It is alleged that he stole $38,427.03 from the fire company between Jan. 1, 2011 and Oct. 29, 2015 by submitting hours when he did not work for payment.
The Morning Call reported that Bate’s attorney, Erv McLain, could not be reached for comment, but that he has previously said the charges against his client are false and motivated by internal politics at the fire company.
Bate’s hearing was originally scheduled to be held Wednesday but was held a day early, according to court records.
After he was charged last month Bate–who served on council for close to a decade–stepped down from his appointed seat on borough council and also resigned as the borough’s emergency management coordinator.
Patterson is under consideration for a plea agreement that would allow her to serve 1 to 2 years in county prison with eligibility for work release, followed by 10 years of probation.
She is scheduled to be sentenced in county court May 19, Lehigh Valley Live reported Wednesday.
