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IRON MOUNTAIN -- Members of the Kingsford Music Booster Club said they will work to restore trust in the group after a former treasurer was sentenced Tuesday to jail time for taking tens of thousands in funds over about a decade.
Cathy Rietveld of Kingsford had pleaded guilty June 15 to one count of embezzlement -- more than $1,000 but less than $20,000, a felony that can carry a prison term.
Circuit Court Judge Mary Barglind, however, was presented Tuesday with a sentence recommendation that would have given the 59-year-old Rietveld only 30 days in jail plus the opportunity to have the felony expunged if she completed two years of probation with no other violations.
Rietveld's attorney, Emily Jo Gunville, noted Rietveld had no prior record, has already paid $64,481.12 to the booster club and lost a nearly three-decade career as a consequence of her actions.
Dickinson County Prosecutor Abbey Anderson said she agreed with the recommendation of a deferred sentence, though she wanted added stipulations that Rietveld was prohibited from gambling or using alcohol or drugs.
Barglind said she took into account Rietveld's lack of criminal history, adding she thought she'd never see her in court again.
But the judge said the amount stolen and length of time Rietveld took the money deserved a more serious sentence. "That's not a mistake … that's an intentional theft," Barglind said.
Two previous embezzlement sentencings Barglind handled, for $17,000 and $100,000, drew jail terms of two months and four months, respectively; each had no prior record and repaid the funds back in full, Barglind said.
She noted, too, the victims of Rietveld's crime were not employers as in those other cases, but "children" along with the Kingsford Boosters.
"The trust of the community, the trust of individuals in the community, has been totally shattered," Barglind said.
The judge gave Rietveld 90 days in jail, with credit for 25 days already served, two years of probation and 240 hours of community service, along with the full restitution plus the added conditions sought by the prosecutor. Barglind turned down Rietveld's request for a delay until week's end to start her jail term and had her taken into custody immediately.
Rietveld was accused of taking funds from several accounts over 10 years while she was treasurer and president of the Kingsford Booster Club, an organization set up to raise money so all students can participate in Breitung Township Schools music programs. The group helps purchase instruments, pays for scholarships to band camp and has supplied several key pieces of equipment at the schools, such as a baby grand piano, organ and drum kits. For years they have pushed to generate funds for new marching band uniforms, club members said.
Elissa VanOoyen, the booster's current treasurer, said the club became aware of the embezzlement when she began reviewing various bank accounts and tax records after being elected to replace Rietveld in April 2022.
Rietveld later admitted to using the club's card and accounts for purchases and ATM withdrawals, though at first she resisted efforts to get copies of bank statements for months, VanOoyen said.
“She's given the booster club a bad reputation,” VanOoyen told the court, speaking on behalf of about 16 people sitting on the same side of the courtroom. She added the club will feel the impact for years.
In a barely audible statement, Rietveld apologized before being sentenced, saying, “From the bottom of my heart, I’m so sorry” for violating the club's trust.
Outside the court, VanOoyen said booster club members were satisfied with the sentence. The organization has taken several measures to avoid this from ever happening again, she said, and would focus on regaining the public's trust that contributions made would go toward the music programs as intended.
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Betsy Bloom can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 85240, or bbloom@ironmountaindailynews.com.