Former Delaware County official indicted for illegal scrap trade

By  Paul Ploumis 15 Sep 2015  Last updated at 04:08:23 GMT

A former General Manager of the Delaware County Solid Waste Authority has been charged with embezzlement in excess of $25,000.

NEWARK (Scrap Monster): Larry Burrow, 48, of Jay, has been charged with embezzlement in excess of $25,000 in Delaware County District Court. Burrow is the former General Manager of the Delaware County Solid Waste Authority. The action follows the investigation initiated by Kent Vice, the present General Manager, who took over the position following Burrow’s retirement in June last year.

According to court documents, Burrow had entered into a verbal agreement with Quapaw, Oklahoma-based Briscoe Metals to receive all of county’s scrap metal at an agreed rate of $100 per ton. Scrap metal containers were placed at all of the five solid waste collection sites across the county. As per agreement, the full containers were supposed to be taken to the solid waste facility located between Jay and Grove for weighing. The scrap along with the transaction ticket containing weight of the scrap used to be forwarded to Briscoe metals facility, for which the facility paid cash in return.

Upon review of transaction tickets, Vice observed discrepancies regarding payments. Consequently, scrap metal sales to Briscoe was stopped effective July this year. Mismatch was found in the collected amount recorded in the account summary sheet of scrap metal transactions. Moreover, several instances of zero amounts were noticed in weigh-out tickets issued from the solid waste facility. Vice had questioned the cash sales of scrap metal and had insisted for check payments instead. However, cash transactions continued. Surprisingly, metal sales returned to normal, just before Burrow’s retirement in 2014. Reconciliation of sales tickets indicates that Burrow has embezzled over $180,000 over the period.

Further questioning of scrap yard authorities revealed that cash for the scrap metal was paid to truck drivers. Meantime, truck drivers confirmed that the cash was handed over to Burrow.

If found guilty, Burrow could face imprisonment of up to 10 years, fines up to $10,000 and restitution.