BUCYRUS — A former groundskeeper at Fairview Cemetery in Galion is heading to prison after being sentenced in Crawford County Common Pleas Court this week on one count of theft, a fourth-degree felony.
Shane R. Shipley, 43, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and must pay $35,251.33 in restitution to the cemetery he once helped maintain.
According to Crawford County Assistant Prosecutor Ryan Hoovler, Shipley sold gravesites over a period of time without depositing the money properly in the cemetery board’s account.
Shipley apologized to the cemetery board and said he wants to begin paying the money back that he stole as quickly as possible.
Judge Sean Leuthold said Shipley may be eligible for judicial release at some point so he can begin paying the restitution owed to the cemetery board.
