Treasurer for Fire District, Road District Sentenced for Embezzling $1.5 Million

U.S. Attorney’s Office
23 June 2014

KANSAS CITY, MO—Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that the former treasurer of both the Wellington Napoleon Fire Protection District and Special Road District was sentenced in federal court today for a fraud scheme in which he embezzled more than $1.5 million from the two districts.

Leland Ray Kolkmeyer, 59, of Wellington, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to three years in federal prison without parole. Kolkmeyer must surrender to the Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his sentenced on Aug. 7, 2014. The court also ordered Kolkmeyer, who has already paid $1 million in restitution, to pay an additional $530,159 in restitution, which represents the total amount he embezzled from the two districts.

On Nov. 20, 2013, Kolkmeyer pleaded guilty to two counts of mail fraud. Kolkmeyer was elected treasurer of both the road district and the fire district in 1998. He resigned from both positions in February 2013. The offices of both the fire district and the road district are located in Wellington.

Kolkmeyer embezzled $939,485 from the Wellington Napoleon Special Road District and $590,674 the Wellington Napoleon Fire Protection District, for a total theft of $1,530,159.

According to court documents, Kolkmeyer told investigators that he used the money he had stolen by doing $50,000-$60,000 in remodeling of his house. Kolkmeyer also stated he purchased various vehicles over the course of the time that he would not have been able to purchase without the money. Kolkmeyer also stated he helped his daughter remodel her home for about $25,000-$30,000. Kolkmeyer stated he helped with his son’s wedding expenses and estimated that each wedding for his children cost $40,000-$50,000.

Kolkmeyer also told investigators that he did not declare any of the stolen income to the IRS.

Road District Fraud Scheme

Kolkmeyer admitted that he stole approximately $900,000 from the road district from August 1998 to Feb. 12, 2013. Kolkmeyer made checks payable from the road district’s bank account to himself and others for his own benefit without the knowledge, authorization or consent of the road district. The government alleges that Kolkmeyer fraudulently transferred $939,485 from the road district’s bank account to his own bank account or to pay bills on his behalf.

Kolkmeyer, in his position as treasurer of the road district, made false statements and material omissions to the Special Road District Board concerning the checks that were made payable to himself and to others on his behalf.

Fire District Fraud Scheme

Kolkmeyer also admitted that he stole more than $500,000 from the fire district from August 1998 to Feb. 17, 2013. The government alleges that Kolkmeyer fraudulently transferred $590,674 from the fire district bank accounts to his own bank account or to pay bills on his behalf.

Kolkmeyer, in his position as treasurer of the fire district, made false statements and material omissions to the Fire Protection District Board concerning the checks that were made payable to himself and to others on his behalf.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the FBI.