CHARLEVOIX – A former Charlevoix County official charged with providing support to area veterans has been sentenced to prison after admitting he embezzled money intended for former service members in need.
On Nov. 1, 33rd Circuit Court Judge Roy Hayes sentenced Joshua Galle, the former director of Charlevoix County Veterans Affairs, to 60 days in jail with two days credit for time served. Galle, who pleaded guilty in September to four felony counts of embezzlement, was also sentenced to 36 months’ probation and ordered to repay the county for embezzling veterans’ vouchers.
Joshua Galle (left) pleads guilty with his attorney in Charlevoix’s 33rd Circuit Court to embezzling food stamps intended for veterans on Friday, September 27, 2024.
Galle, 41, of Petoskey, admitted to taking $50 Meijer vouchers, totaling $1,350, that were intended to provide food and basic supplies to veterans in need. Originally charged with 27 felony counts of embezzlement, Galle accepted a plea deal, pleading guilty to four charges while the remaining charges were dismissed. Under Michigan law, he faced a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
The investigation began in February 2023 when current Veterans Affairs Officer Kaylee Wells raised concerns after discovering a voucher issued to a veteran who passed away in 2021. Charlevoix County Detective Fred Hasty then contacted other veterans listed as voucher recipients, none of whom were aware of the program or had received any assistance. Some of these veterans had died before being listed as recipients.
“It’s just a shocking case to steal from dead veterans,” said Charlevoix County Prosecutor Kit Tholen. “Two of them were already dead when the vouchers were issued. Two others died afterwards, and several of them were mentally unable to even talk to police.
More: Former Charlevoix County VA director pleads guilty to food stamp embezzlement
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During his guilty plea in September, Galle admitted using the vouchers for his own benefit. He said he had access to the vouchers through his role as a Veterans Services Officer, a position that allowed him to distribute them to veterans in need.
Although the amount stolen was relatively small, Tholen said the breach of trust was much more concerning.
“This program was created for veterans in need, a very deserving group,” he said. “It’s not about the dollar amount… it’s about the fact that he enriched himself with taxpayer money that was intended to help veterans who needed it.”
Galle will serve time in the Charlevoix County Jail.
— Contact reporter Annie Doyle at (231) 675-0099 and adoyle@charlevoixcourier.com.
This article originally appeared in The Petoskey News-Review: Ex-Charlevoix VA Director Joshua Galle Sentenced in Veterans Embezzlement Case
