(The Center Square) – The third of four defendants indicted on a scheme to defraud the Columbus Zoo of more than $2 million will spend 60 days in jail.
Attorney General Dave Yost announced Monday that Tracy Murnane, the zoo’s former purchasing agent, was sentenced to 60 days and three years probation. Murnane has also paid $11,000 in civil restitution and $90,000 in criminal restitution.
“The getaway driver is just as guilty as the bank robbers inside,” Yost said. “Today’s sentence delivers much-needed accountability for another player in the scheme to rip off taxpayers and the zoo.”
Murnane pleaded guilty in July to six felony charges, including grand theft, forgery and telecommunications fraud. He also pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors related to the transfers of vehicle titles.
Prosecutors told the court Murnane cooperated with investigators and planned to testify against the others.
The zoo’s former CFO Greg Bell was sentenced in August to three years in prison, and Grant Bell, an assistant purchasing agent, was sentenced earlier this month to two years probation and ordered to pay $8,554 in restitution.
Former CEO Tom Stalf, who pleaded guilty July 23, is set for sentencing Oct. 14, and ex-Marketing Director Pete Fingerhut, who pleaded guilty in early July, is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 28.
Stalf pleaded guilty to 15 felonies, including aggravated theft, conspiracy, telecommunications fraud and tampering with records. He agreed to pay more than $315,000 in restitution to the zoo, state and IRS. Yost said the money was in addition to the $400,000 in restitution made on his behalf in 2021.
Fingerhut pleaded guilty to one felony count of aggravated theft, 11 felony counts of tampering with records, three felony counts of telecommunications fraud, one felony count of conspiracy and one misdemeanor count of falsification.
The nonprofit Columbus Zoo receives more than $19 million annually from a Franklin County tax levy.
