The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Theft could cost former IT director 18 years or more
Cannon Leatherwood pled guilty to two counts of theft at a plea hearing Wednesday, March 26, including one class 3 and one class 4 felony. Those charges could net the former Gunnison Watershed School District information technology director as many as 18 years behind bars.
Leatherwood was charged last August with eight felony counts of theft related to his role in two phony companies that charged the school district more than $400,000. Leatherwood was hired by the district in 2006 and was fired immediately after the thefts, which occurred over three years, were discovered.
The guilty plea means Leatherwood won’t go to trial and will be sentenced by Gunnison District Judge Steven Patrick on June 9. He faces up to 12 years for the class 3 felony and as many as six years for the class 4 felony.
However, at the hearing, Judge Patrick made it clear that the court could double the sentences if it feels there are aggravating circumstances in the case.
Gunnison Watershed School superintendent Doug Tredway said that after Leatherwood’s sentencing, the district will be able to pursue restitution for its losses.
The district has already been awarded an insurance check for $358,000, although the check had not arrived as of press time. Tredway said that money would go toward some of the technology purchases that were called for in an audit commissioned by the district and improved STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) course offerings at the Crested Butte and Gunnison Schools.
Tredway said the district was still negotiating with the insurance company for a payout right up to the policy cap of $500,000.
“I’ll be glad to see it finish up and I’m glad [Leatherwood is] not fighting it because he was obviously guilty. He said as much in court a month ago. So I’m glad we don’t have to spend time fighting the obvious,” Tredway said.
Leatherwood is scheduled to appear again in District Court for sentencing June 9.
