The office of Ohio Auditor Keith Faber today released the results of a special audit into the finances of Vinton Township and former Vinton fiscal officer Cy Vierstra, who in late 2022 pleaded guilty to a string of charges stemming from $310,000 in public funds he stole or misappropriated for an absolutely wild variety of personal uses.
Those include buying a wildebeest, two snowy owls from England, and dozens and dozens of other purchases for his home and the Union Ridge Wildlife Center, his roadside zoo. (Full list below.)
Vierstra was originally indicted in October 2021. He was sentenced in February to 59 months in prison and $339,717.86 in restitution.
“This was an abuse of the public trust at its worst,” Faber said in a release. “Public funds that were supposed to be used for roads and bridges and needed services instead were stolen to buy kayaks, a popcorn cart, a swimming pool, a drum set, gazebos – the list goes on and on.”
Faber was not kidding.
Among the illegal purchases:
– Wildebeest
– Two owls
– Windows for a primate exhibit at roadside zoo
– Five hot tubs
– Snow cone machine
– Golf cart
– Riding lawn mower
– Animal rescue trailer
– Tankless water heaters
– Above ground pool
– Security and surveillance system
– Gazebos
– Storage sheds
– Hunting Blind and trail cameras
– Frontload washers and dryers
– Kitchen Appliances
– Drum set
– Pressure washers
– Underground utility locator
– Drone
– Electronic devices and video game system
– Generators
– Greenhouses
– Bikes, tricycles, and scooters
– Lawn equipment
– Outdoor grills
– Popcorn cart and sno cone machine
– Projector and projector screen
– Indoor and outdoor furniture
– Kayaks
– Telescopes
– Pet products
– Vacuums
– Toilets
– CPR Manikin
– Custom built enclosures at location of URWC and Cy’s personal residence
– Animal food
– Deluxe Cottage Garage
– Dishwasher
– Various building materials and supplies
– Indoor and outdoor furniture
– Rental of vehicles and excavator
– Repairs for a four wheeler
– Prepaid phone
– Men’s clothing
– Foot pads
-Herbal cleansing supplies
Prosecutors found that Vierstra, from 2016 to 2020, missued a government debit card with stunning regularity, creating fake invoices and bills to cover his tracks. A tip from Vinton County Auditor Cindy Owings Waugh kickstarted the investigation.
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This article appears in Apr 5-19, 2023.
