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 if found guilty. 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 45 exhibits, which included thousands of pages of documents and testimony 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. He also had a clear understanding of the city’s personnel policies for firefighters. Pieri faced trial this fall on felony charges related to falsified time records between January 2006 and December 2010. The case centered around allegations that he claimed pay for hours not worked, without deducting them from his accumulated benefit time. The prosecution claimed the misconduct cost taxpayers over $70,000 in lost wages, time, and benefits. Notably, a more serious theft charge exceeding $100,000 was dropped before the trial began. During opening and closing arguments, Assistant State’s Attorney Scott Turk portrayed Pieri as a disgruntled employee who wanted a traditional 9-to-5 job, despite being required to work 24-hour shifts every third day—like other firefighters in the small department, according to prosecution witnesses. Pieri’s defense team, led by attorneys Richard Blass and Julie Trevarthen, argued that the state's case relied on unreliable data. They pointed out inconsistencies in three different sets of calculations made by the state’s fraud examiner. Additionally, the defense challenged the assumption that the time sheets were incorrect, rather than the firehouse records. An expert witness, Benjamin Wilner, had previously called the time records unreliable after discovering an anomaly where a firefighter allegedly worked 1,500 hours in a single day. Pieri was arrested in the fall of 2011 and initially placed on paid administrative leave by the city of Highwood while an internal investigation took place. At the time of his arrest, he was the highest-ranking member of the department, married to an alderman, and the son of a former alderman. He continued to receive his $66,000 salary 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 any decision on his employment status. “The burden is now on the city to take the next step, and that will continue now,†said Pecaro. For more updates and related stories, check out our previous coverage HERE. Food Industry Machinery Equipment Changzhou shanglai automation equipment co., ltd , https://www.slautomate.com