A former Columbus Zoo and Aquarium purchasing agent has been sentenced to serve 60 days in jail after being implicated in a fraud scheme that stripped the Ohio establishment of at least $2.3 million. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced the sentence today, underscoring the importance of accountability in the case. "The getaway driver is just as guilty as the bank robbers inside," Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. "Today’s sentence delivers much-needed accountability for another player in the scheme to rip off taxpayers and the zoo."
The former agent, Tracy Murnane, received his sentence today, including a $5,000 fine and three years of probation. He has already made payments totaling $11,000 in civil restitution to the zoo and $90,000 in criminal restitution to the zoo and the state of Ohio. Murnane had previously pleaded guilty to several felony charges on July 8, encompassing grand theft, forgery, and telecommunications fraud. He also admitted to two misdemeanors related to the improper transfer of vehicle titles.
This sentencing is part of a more extensive investigation conducted by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and the Ohio Auditor’s Office, which has led to indictments against four zoo executives for misuse of funds for personal gain. Other sentenced individuals in the case include former CFO Greg Bell, who was sentenced to three years in prison, and Grant Bell, a purchasing assistant, who was handed two years of probation and ordered to give back over $8,500 in criminal restitution.
Additional sentencing dates for the other executives are pending. Former CEO Tom Stalf pleaded guilty on July 23 and is to expectantly be sentenced on Oct. 14, while former Marketing Director Pete Fingerhut, who pleaded guilty on July 2, is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 28. In a statement obtained by the Ohio Attorney General's media release, it was noted that Murnane, although having profited from the fraud, cooperated with investigators and was prepared to testify against his former colleagues.
The Ohio Attorney General’s Special Prosecution Section spearheaded the prosecution at the behest of Delaware County Prosecutor Melissa Schiffel.
