Former coordinator of intramural and recreational sports to serve one year
Lindsey Arceci
Equinox Staff
Almost exactly a year after his indictment, former Keene State College coordinator of Intramural and Recreational Sports Benjamin Mecklenburg will be sentenced to one year at the Cheshire County House of Corrections for falsifying payroll records and essentially stealing money from KSC.
Mecklenburg was charged with three misdemeanors. He pleaded guilty to two counts of theft by unauthorized taking and tampering with public or private records. He was also found guilty of fraudulent handling of recordable writings. His sentence, with all but 90 days suspended, will be followed by two years probation once released from jail.
Between December 2010 and February 2011, Mecklenburg allegedly stole money from KSC while he was working for the athletics department of the college, according to court documents. The Keene Superior Court also ordered Mecklenburg to pay $2,360 in restitution to Keene State College. The court ruled that Mecklenburg, “…will provide a yearly copy of any and all Federal and state tax filings to the Department of Corrections until restitution is paid.”
A court document, amended on Jan. 6, 2012, states that Mecklenburg, “…exercised unauthorized control over property of KSC, to wit; during the period of Mecklenburg’s employment with the college, he exercised unauthorized control over U.S. currency.”
According to reports from students who wished to be anonymous, they had noticed Mecklenburg had been overpaying student employees for the time they worked. Students who had only worked a few hours one week would get paid $100 or $200 or more, and be asked to return the extra money to him in cash.
A source from the Keene Police Department confirmed that the department was not involved in the arrest of Mecklenburg, but did help provide his indictment for the court. It is suspected by KPD that the Cheshire County Sheriff’s Dept. was involved in his arrest, but a deputy there was unable to release this information without speaking with Capt. Trevor Crouttau first.
KSC Athletic Director John Ratliff said in an email, “Sorry, I do not have any comment on this subject.”
Linsdey Arceci can be contacted at larceci@keene-equinox.com.