Golden – James Darrell Jones arrived at the Jefferson County courthouse Monday with a check for $44,000, just about enough to repay the community college he embezzled over a three-year period.
The Arvada resident, a former director of the Student Life department at Red Rocks Community College, was sentenced to three years’ probation and 70 hours of community service by District Court Judge Thomas Woodford.
Also, Jones will have to submit to a mental health evaluation.
Jones’ attorney, Jeffrey Matthews, told the court his client dipped into retirement accounts and took out a second mortgage to repay the college.
“He mortgaged his home, his future, his retirement to make right what he has done wrong” Matthews said.
As part of his former job at the college, Jones ran a “student service help desk” that sold movie theater tickets, stamps, coupons and other items to students.
Between January 2001 and May 2004, Jones, 58, collected money from students but didn’t turn it over to the college.
He was arrested in October and pleaded guilty to felony theft in March.
Matthews told the court that Jones was having personal problems at the time and spent the stolen money on counseling sessions and “frivolous” purchases.
Jones was the lone employee to verify cash deposits and manipulated accounting ledgers. He was eventually caught when another employee raised concerns about Jones’ bookkeeping, and an audit was undertaken.
Jones still owes the college an additional $1,000, which will be paid by the end of the week, Matthews said.
Cliff Richardson, interim chief administration officer at the college, said friends and colleagues of Jones were stunned and felt betrayed.
“What he did is such a disservice to the college,” Richardson said. “It is unspeakable.”
Prosecutor Carolyn O’Hara did not seek a jail sentence as part of Jones’ punishment. She told the court that his crimes violated his position of trust, and his actions have had a “ripple effect,” tarnishing the reputation of the school as a whole.
“Trust – that is what our entire society is based on,” O’Hara said. “He violated that.”
Reading from a prepared text, Jones offered “sincere apologies to those who were hurt by my actions. By my choice, I let all these people down. I know I am solely responsible.”
Staff writer Kieran Nicholson can be reached at 303-820-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com.
