Deputy Township Treasurer, Whose Grandma Is Treasurer, Gets Probation for Embezzling

Brendan Humeniak, 22,  the former Augusta Township deputy treasurer, whose grandmother is the treasurer, was sentenced Monday to 18 months probation in Washtenaw County Circuit Court for embezzling taxpayers' money. He was also ordered to pay restitution of $8,900.

Augusta Township is outside Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. 

Ira Todd, a member of the township board of trustees, who had pushed for an audit of the township finances after taking office in 2012, says a State Police investigation unearthed the improprieties. Humeniak was suspected of embezzling as much as $80,000, Todd says, but admitted stealing only a fraction of that.

Authorities allege that Humeniak removed cash deposits intended for property taxes and used the funds to pay his personal bills instead. 

Humeniak's Ypsilanti attorney, Michael J. Vincent says his client "didn't try to make excuses. He accepted responsibility from day one."

Humeniak, who was around 18 when the crimes took place, shouldn't have been in a position of trust at such a young age, the lawyer says. "It doesn't excuse him, but you don’t put a young kid in a position with that kind of temptation. You just don’t do that."

He says his client embezzled a few more thousand dollars than the money he was ordered to repay, and repaid that amount before sentencing. 

If Humeniak serves his probation without incident, he wont have a felony conviction record as a result of a state law that benefits youth offenders.  Humeniak was also given a 30 day jail sentence that is suspended and will be waived if he completes his probation successfully. He must also serve 100 hours of community service and pay more than $1,400 in court and state fees.

Humeniak's  grandmother, Lynda Dew, did not return phone calls for comment. 

Todd said that he suspects, in all, $800,000 is missing in township funds, but noted that it's unclear if it has been stolen or misplaced. He said an audit for the township is currently being conducting by an accounting firm, and a criminal investigation is being conducted by a law enforcement task force.   

"This is just round one of the investigation," Todd says. "We anticipate others may be charged in the future for their participation of corruption in Augusta Township."

Todd said at a regularly scheduled township board meeting on Tuesday he plans to ask for the Township Treasurer Dew and Township Clerk Kathy Giszczak to resign, saying the deputy treasurer would have been caught stealing sooner had they been doing their job. Giszczak did not immediately return a phone call for comment.

Township Supervisor Pete Hafler says he didn't think the initial criminal investigation went far enough into unearthing improprieties, and hopes more comes to light.