Published: August 16, 2007 11:05 pm            

Former auto dealership managers receive probation

EBENSBURG — Two former managers at a Richland Township car dealership have been placed on probation in connection with an embezzlement case.

They had been accused of stealing more than $30,000 from Laurel Chrysler-Jeep-Hyundai on Eisenhower Boulevard. Both men originally had faced 73 theft counts each.

Timothy Earl Aurandt, 45, of the 700 block of Campus Avenue, Hollsopple, was put on probation for seven years by Cambria County Judge Norman Krumenacker.

Aurandt was ordered to pay $33,600 restitution on his guilty pleas to conspiracy to commit theft and a corrupt-employee offense.

Robert D’arcangelo, 47, of the 900 block of Ninth Street, Windber, was placed on probation for six months under a program for first-time offenders.

Judge Gerard Long ordered D’arcangelo to pay a $300 administrative fee in addition to other costs. If D’arcangelo is not arrested again while on probation, he can have his criminal record cleared under the accelerated rehabilitative disposition program, the judge said.

D’arcangelo also paid $1,000 restitution for two checks he had endorsed, county Assistant District Attorney Tamara Bernstein said.

The two men were charged by Richland Township police with conspiring in a scheme in which two checks were written by a Greensburg dealer whenever he purchased used cars from Laurel.

The smaller of the checks from the Greensburg dealer would be cashed by Aurandt, and then the money was split by Aurandt and D’arcangelo, authorities had alleged.

The other money went to Laurel Chrysler, authorities said.

David Weaver, D’arcangelo’s attorney, had maintained that there was no wrongdoing on the part of his client.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.