Former Phoenixville SD Employee Appears Ready To Plead Guilty To Embezzlement

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — A former finance director and business manager for the Phoenixville Area School District who was charged by federal prosecutors with embezzling money from the district is expected to plead guilty to the criminal charges against him, according to court records.

A notice of hearing posted by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania shows that Gehris will likely plead guilty on Wednesday to charges that he stole money from the district where he was formerly employed.

Gehris was charged late last year with embezzling around $90,000 in federal assistance dollars, with prosecutors alleging that the money he stole, which was from a taxpayer funded federal program, were earmarked for things like student sports, field trips, summer programs and related events and extracurricular activities.

The federal court notice says that Gehris is scheduled for a guilty plea hearing on Wednesday at 2 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg at the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Court records show that Gehris is not currently in federal custody, and the notice serves as a summons for Gehris to appear in court.

It says that if Gehris fails to appear before the court, a bench warrant could be issued for his arrest.

His defense attorney, Stephen Baer, was copied on the notice.

Patch reported on the case back in early December.

Gehris, who was charged via criminal information, stands accused of fabricating receipts, making false entries, misappropriating funds from school district bank accounts without authorization and directing unauthorized payments to himself, according to prosecuting documents.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says that Gehris used the money to "enrich himself."

Prosecutors say that the crimes occurred from around November 2013 to July 2019, at which time Gehris was employed as finance director and business manager at the school district.

Gehris is officially charged with embezzlement from a program receiving federal funds.

"The defendant allegedly stole nearly $100,000 from a public school district, money which was specifically allocated for student activities meant to enhance their educational experience," U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams said in a statement when the charges were announced against Gehris back in late November. "Criminals that embezzle public money from schools are ripping off hundreds of students while also ripping off all taxpayers who fund them."

The presiding judge in the case may schedule a sentencing date during Wednesday's hearing.

It is unclear whether or not Gehris would remain free from custody pending sentencing.