The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
A former parks and recreation manager featured recently in a city magazine for outstanding service was indicted Wednesday by a grand jury for embezzling $60,000 from the city.
Ricky Freeman, 55, is accused of five counts of theft dating to 2008, according to the indictments. Freeman turned himself in to police Wednesday afternoon, a commonwealth's attorney spokeswoman said.
Freeman was given a City Employee Crime Prevention Award last year for his work as supervisor of Sherwood Forest Community Center. He spent 27 years with the city before he was dismissed in June, according to a city news release.
The indictments charge Freeman with five felony counts of embezzlement. They provide few details about the alleged crimes, except to say that they were committed between May 2008 and May 2011.
Spokeswomen for the city and prosecutor's office declined to give further details and calls to Freeman's home Wednesday were not answered.
The city began investigating Freeman in May after another employee notified superiors that the Sherwood Forest center was open improperly on a Saturday for a baby shower, said Darrell Crittendon, director of the Recreation, Parks and Open Space department.
The Sherwood Forest facility, like most recreation centers in Norfolk, are closed on weekends because of budget cuts, he said. City officials investigated after the May 14 baby shower and suspended Freeman within a week, Crittendon said.
Freeman was fired in June, he said. City records show Freeman made $49,900 in salary as a recreation supervisor in 2010.
Crittendon said he does not know whether the improper opening and baby shower are related to the indictments.
Freeman was profiled this year in Norfolk Quarterly, a magazine produced and published by the city's public relations department. He served four years as supervisor for Sherwood Forest Community Center and earlier oversaw the Grandy Village and Berkley recreation centers, according to the story.
Community members credited Freeman for forging a strong relationship with police and making the Sherwood Forest center safer, the story said. He invited police officers to community events, and they regularly attended youth basketball practices and games, the story said.
City spokeswoman Lori Crouch said the crime prevention award was given before the city knew of any alleged wrongdoing.
Louis Hansen, (757) 446-2341, louis.hansen@pilotonline.com
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Inquiring minds want to know
How does he "knock down" $1200 a month average over 4 years and no one notices the money is missing? Was he "renting" the facility out and not turning in the money? Who were his supervisors who never seemed to notice the facility was "open" when it wasn't supposed to be? Unfortunately this is another sign of a lack of oversight in the City of Norfolk. IF it is true.
low hanging fruit here
"City spokeswoman Lori Crouch said the crime prevention award was given before the city knew of any alleged wrongdoing."
Did not stop the CSB in their bonus to Womack..And the not filing of charges to the 12 year no show employee...this guy is just the wrong color in Norfolk.
So Is It Your Contention, BEACH23451,
that if the suspect had been white, that his case would NOT have been presented before the grand jury?
Failings
It is incredible how many government employees are up to no good. I know this is just the tip of the iceburg, and that most government workers are honest, hard-working citizens, but still... Whether its the plethora of navy officers getting sacked for their behavior, or the Norfolk CSB, the Va. Beach Director of Public Works, or HRT, this article helps illustrate why the public holds government in such low regard. At least this guy didn't keep two sets of books, or work for a consulting firm identified as having benefitted from illegal no-bid contracts related to the light rail cost overruns and later rewarded with a Sr. Vice President job, like the current Chief of HRT's Planning and Development department, but, I digress.
Lots of folks in Norfolk have their hand in the cookie jar.
Lots of folks in Norfolk have their hand in the cookie jar.
Dear Norfolk, If you need
Dear Norfolk,
If you need someone to fill this position please email me.
I'm currently unemployed and I need to work now!
Look at upper managment salaries in Norfolk
and compare them to lower level employees. In no other city is there a greater gap between those at the top and the workers. Especially when you figure the very low years of employment of upper level mgmt with Norfolk. Norfolk, in many cases, has recently hired upper management at higher salaries than those previously in those same positions. The rich get richer in Norfolk.
What a Shame
It's a shame this man made bad choices and ruined his life this way. City employees haven't had raises in years. While this is certainly no excuse for illegal behavior, people will do desperate things for money when backed up in a corner. The City can find millions of dollars for projects every time City Council wants something; not finding money for a least a small raise for their employees is inexcusable.
There are many people who
There are many people who haven't had jobs in years and do not resort to stealing. This guy was well compensated at $49k per year - raise or no raise.
If you're not happy about lack of raises, then quit. Let someone else take your job.
This has to be a terrible feeling
Imagine working somewhere 27 years and then getting yourself into a predicament like this, making 49K a year and a retirement just around the corner.......if he did this and they are correct, I sure hope he loses that retirement too. There should be more people getting busted for abuses and rewards to encourage catching them.....just take it out of what they would have had to pay in retirement....this guys retirement alone would catch a whole bunch of bus drivers using buses for personal trips to to malls and cops abusing their powers for personal gain.