Superior Court. Matthew Young, 40, pleaded guilty to theft on Thursday in Kingman.
Prosecutor James Schoppmann said Young turned himself in at the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office lobby on July 24, 2019. Schoppmann told Court Commissioner Doug Camacho that Young readily admitted his involvement in converting Yucca Fire District funds to personal use.
Schoppmann said Young initially had Governing Board permission to use a fire district account to award himself some back pay. Schoppmann said that Young indicated he was unable to stop stealing by moving public money to various fire district accounts while continuing to make unauthorized incremental payments to himself.
Young reportedly used some of his ill-gotten gains to purchase boats, guns, tools and computer equipment. Those items were seized as evidence and must be forfeited under terms of the plea agreement.
The deal requires Young to make restitution between $40,000 and $68,834, and pay at least $10,000 back to the district before he is sentenced on January 31. Terms of the plea require Camacho to place Young on supervised probation for three years and allows him to impose up to a 30-day jail sentence.
The conviction would be designated as a misdemeanor upon successful completion of probation.
