Excerpts from ChicagoTribune.com: Four years after former Highwood Fire Department Deputy Chief Ronald Pieri was arrested on charges of payroll fraud, a Lake County Circuit Court judge has found him guilty of one count of false entry for falsifying time records. However, Judge Victoria Rossetti ruled him not guilty on two counts of official misconduct and two counts of theft of government property. The sentencing for the single felony conviction is set for February 17. Pieri could face probation or up to five years in prison. After the verdict, defense attorney Richard Blass expressed disagreement with the outcome, stating that he believes the state’s evidence did not meet the burden of proof required for a conviction beyond a reasonable doubt. Before delivering her ruling, Judge Rossetti reviewed the details of the state's 45 exhibits, which included thousands of pages of documents, as well as testimonies from key witnesses. She noted that Pieri had extensive knowledge of the firehouse computer system used to track personnel on duty, as he had managed it and trained others in its use. He was also familiar with the city’s policies regarding fire department employees. Pieri stood trial this fall on felony charges related to falsified time records between January 2006 and December 2010. The prosecution claimed that Pieri had falsely reported hours worked, using his accrued benefit time to cover for unpaid hours. This allegedly cost taxpayers over $70,000 in lost wages, benefits, and pay. Before the trial, the prosecution dropped a more serious charge of stealing over $100,000. During opening and closing arguments, Assistant State’s Attorney Scott Turk portrayed Pieri as a disgruntled employee who wanted to work a traditional 9-to-5 schedule, despite being required to work 24-hour shifts every third day—like other firefighters in the small department. Prosecution witnesses confirmed this requirement. Pieri’s defense team, led by attorneys Richard Blass and Julie Trevarthen, argued that the state’s case relied on flawed data. They pointed out inconsistencies in three different calculations made by the state’s fraud examiner. Additionally, the defense highlighted that the prosecution assumed the time sheets were incorrect, rather than the firehouse computer records. An expert witness, Benjamin Wilner, testified that the time records were unreliable, citing an anomaly where a fire official had supposedly worked 1,500 hours in a single day. Pieri was arrested in the fall of 2011 and initially placed on paid administrative leave while the city conducted an internal investigation. At the time, he was the highest-ranking member of the Highwood Fire Department, married to an alderman, and the son of a former alderman. He continued to receive his salary of approximately $66,000 until fall 2013, when the city’s fire and police commissioners board voted 2-1 to suspend him without pay. The commission had been waiting for the outcome of the criminal trial before making a final decision on his employment status. “The burden is now on the city to take the next step, and that will continue now,†said Pecaro, referring to the ongoing process. For more updates, check out our previous posts HERE. Ultrasonic Non-woven Head Covering Machine Changzhou shanglai automation equipment co., ltd , https://www.slautomate.com