A former Salt Lake City firefighter union treasurer who admitted stealing more than $130,000 from the union has been sentenced to jail time and ordered to pay restitution.
Joshua David Diamond, 40, pleaded guilty as charged in 3rd District Court earlier this year to second-degree felony counts of theft, unlawful dealing of property by fiduciary, and two counts of third-degree felony forgery.
Last week, Judge Vernice Trease suspended potential prison sentences of up to 15 years and ordered Diamond to serve 30 days in the Salt Lake County jail.
As part of a five-year probation, Diamond must repay $133,314.98 to the Salt Lake City Firefighters union.
Court records show that as of Friday, when Diamond was sentenced, he had paid a lump sum of $50,000 to the union, which was to be followed by monthly payments of $1,000.
He also must make another lump sum payment of $20,000 by Oct.13, 2018.
Charging documents state that in 2016, Union president Trevor Tallon reviewed the organization’s accounts after Diamond failed to submit a year-end financial review for 2015.
Tallon found discrepancies, forged checks and unauthorized credit and debit charges, charges state.
Between September 2012 and November 2014, Diamond wrote checks to himself by forging Tallon’s signatures, as well as the signatures of two past union presidents, charges state.
On many checks that did not have forged signatures, the amount of the check had been altered.
An audit of union accounts also revealed that $4,000 in donations raised during the 2014 “Fill the Boot” drive — a campaign where firefighters raise money to fight muscular dystrophy — never made into the proper bank account, charges state.
During an interview with police, Diamond admitted to writing himself unauthorized checks for “mileage reimbursement,” and to using funds from the union’s savings account, charges state. But Diamond claimed during the interview that he intended eventually to pay back the stolen funds.