The Wilk: An Update and Recap

Like it or not, the wheels of justice turn slowly. The tin foil hat brigade has smelled a cover up that wasn't there, but the fact is it can take a year or more before the wheels actually roll over the criminal. Once confronted with evidence of his crime, Jon Wilk, former paramedic, firefighter, and union local president, was completely cooperative, according to GPD Chief Louis Barry.

It wasn't exactly hard to trace the money. Wilk was given total control of insurance company reimbursements. He set up a dummy account for the checks; he endorsed and deposited them. Not exactly hard to trace. If Granby weren't hiring a new fire chief who insisted on an audit of the department books, Wilk might have gone on embezzling for a long time. In spite of inexplicable deficits in the ambulance accounts (which should have been at least balanced), the Selectmen neglected to investigate. The town's money management team, which includes Town Manager Chris Martin, Treasurer Steve Nally, and Town Collector Karen Stellato quickly worked out a system of checks and balances.

The Wilk case took a turn for the ridiculous when someone who presumably views the bills town hall leaked to the press that the school department had hired Wilk to paint lines in the school parking lots. The tin foil hats were all aglow with visions of conspiracy.

If there is one thing that the Wilk case illustrated for me was how widespread the crime of embezzlement truly is. At the time of his indictment, there were at least three other Granby residents who were charged or had been convicted of the crime. Other communities experienced similar problems.

In December, Wilk was sentenced to a ten year suspended sentence. As agreed, he served 30 day months in the Hampshire County Jail and began paying restitution immediately. As part of his 10 year probation, Wilk has been ordered not to work or volunteer in anything involving finances.

According to the Republican, Wilk will pay $25, 000 a year until his $285,544 debt to the town is retired. He has made his first payment as agreed.

Mark