RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- The former treasurer of a local nonprofit group was sentenced to six months in jail today for embezzling about $89,000 from the organization.
Deron Edward Lane, 44, pleaded no contest last month to charges that he embezzled from the Chaffey Communities Cultural Center, which manages the Cooper Regional History Museum in Upland and stages local events.
At Lane's sentencing hearing in West Valley Superior Court, Judge Michael A. Sachs placed Lane on probation for three years and ordered him to pay $575 in fines and fees.
"You violated the public trust in this case and caused considerable damages to the public," Sachs said.
Lane is eligible to serve his jail sentence on weekends rather than as "straight time" without release from custody, Sachs said. Lane was out of custody during his sentencing hearing.
Lane declined to comment in court, but in a May 4 interview with the San Bernardino County Probation Department he said he embezzled the money to cover "basic needs" such as mortgage payments.
"The defendant knows what he did was wrong, and (he) paid the victim back in full prior to his arrest," said the Probation Department's report, which is contained in Lane's court file.
Lane was accused of embezzling from the organization between May 2009 and November 2010 by issuing checks to his spouse from the organization's bank accounts, then forging his spouse's signature to cash the checks.
The $89,000 embezzlement depleted about 75 percent of the group's funds.
Lane has since repaid the stolen funds, paid $21,000 to cover the organization's attorney's fees, and agreed to pay $49,000 in punitive damages, prosecutors said.
Lane's no contest plea last month came as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors.
Two board members from the Chaffey Communities Cultural Center spoke during Lane's sentencing and said they believed six months was not a long enough jail sentence.
"There's no remorse in what (Lane) says," Steve Ipson said.
Ipson and other members of the group say Lane was able to repay the stolen funds only because he recently inherited money from a deceased member of the group.
Lola Lowe, 61, died from cancer in December at Lane's home, where she was receiving hospice care the last two weeks of her life.
Before her death, Lowe granted Lane her power of attorney, agreed to change her will and made Lane the executor of her estate, prosecutors said.
Lowe's friends and other members of the group believe Lane may have improperly influenced Lowe to gain control of her estate and personally profit as a result.
"I'm sure he forced her to sign that thing," said Larry Martin, who said Lowe was his longtime friend.
A police investigation into Lane's handling of Lowe's estate has not resulted in any additional criminal charges against Lane.