Funeral home owner takes guilty plea

Berrien Springs man embezzled more than $200,000.

February 17, 2011|By DEBRA HAIGHT, Tribune Correspondent

NILES — A Berrien Springs funeral home owner will be sentenced May 2 for embezzling more than $260,000 of people's prepaid funeral funds over the last several years.

Matthew Purchase, 40, of East Washington Street in Berrien Springs, is the owner of Legacy Family Funeral Services in Berrien Springs. He was arrested last August on 15 embezzlement related charges and faced a March 8 trial.

Thursday, Purchase pleaded guilty to two counts, one count of racketeering and conducting a criminal enterprise, a 20-year felony, and one count of attempted embezzlement over $20,000, a five-year felony.

His criminal activity occurred over several years, from Jan. 1, 2004 to July 27, 2010 during which time he took clients' money for prepaid funeral services and converted the funds to his own use.

With Thursday's plea agreement, 13 other embezzlement and conversion charges were dismissed.

In all, Purchase took money totaling $268,509 from 86 people in the period from 2004 to 2010 and failed to hold that money in trust.

During the court hearing Thursday, Purchase acknowledged taking clients' money and using it for his own purpose. "I regret my actions which led to these circumstances. I do plead guilty," he said.

The plea agreement reached between Purchase's attorney, Tat Parish, and Assistant Prosecutor Steve Pierangeli gives Purchase the chance to face no prison time if he makes full restitution by May 2.

As outlined on the record by Berrien County Trial Judge Scott Schofield, Purchase can withdraw his guilty plea to the two above-mentioned counts and plead to two other charges if he makes full restitution by May 2.

If the restitution is made by then with funds immediately available, Purchase will plead guilty to two other charges, embezzlement over $20,000, a 10-year felony, and embezzlement between $1,000 and $20,000, a five year felony.

In that case, Pierangeli said he would recommend Purchase not be sent to prison and that any jail sentence imposed would begin no sooner than July 1.

If Purchase cannot make full restitution by May 2, Pierangeli will recommend a sentence within the guidelines which may or may not mean a prison sentence.

Purchase had his bond continued Thursday and remains free on $50,000 bond. Schofield set the sentencing for 3 p.m. on May 2 in order to free more time for victims to talk before sentencing.

|

|

|