Former Elida schools employee gets 85 days in jail

LIMA — A former employee of Elida schools who stole $85,000 in goods and services from the school district will spend one day in jail for each $1,000 he pilfered.

Allen County Common Pleas Court Judge Jeffrey Reed on Monday sentenced Matthew Burton, 43, of Lima to four years on probation in addition to 85 days in the county jail on a third-degree felony charge of theft in office.

Burton is the former head of maintenance for the school district and also served as a coach of youth sports teams at Elida. He was indicted last fall by an Allen County grand jury on one count of theft in office and two counts of aggravated theft, all third-degree felonies, for “depriving the … Elida School District of property or services” valued in court documents to be in excess of $100,000, according to court documents. During Monday’s sentencing hearing the school district’s actual financial loss, as well as amount of restitution Burton was ordered to repay, was set at $85,000.