Aston gets probation for pilfering funds

Bill Gang

Thursday, March 26, 1998 | 4:49 a.m.

Former Clark County Treasurer Mark Aston was given probation today for pilfering more than $21,000 he raised to conduct a conference for a professional organization to which he belonged.

The 45-year-old Aston fought back tears as he asked District Judge Joseph Bonaventure for leniency and a chance to be with his wife and six children.

"I made a mistake, a grievous mistake," Aston conceded after apologizing to the County Financial Officers Association that he had victimized. None of the stolen funds were taxpayer dollars.

His attorney, Lamond Mills, described Aston as a "good, decent person ... who has paid an awful price" through the public shame he brought on himself.

When asked by the judge why Aston stole the funds, Mills said the longtime county treasurer was "under financial pressure" to provide college tuition for his children and did something "incredibly dumb."

Aston said he had collected more in donations than the conference cost and he justified taking the money to compensate himself for the time he spent organizing the event.

But Elko County Clerk Karen Dredge had a different view of Aston, charging that he had used her and others in the organization to set up the scam.

"In his mind we were ... female county bumpkin clerks," she told the judge, suggesting that Aston be sent to prison "to ponder the betrayal he bestowed on his family, friends and the voters."

In the end, Bonaventure placed Aston on three years probation with the requirement that he serve six months on house arrest, repay the missing money, perform 864 hours of community service and contribute $5,000 to an organization -- perhaps UNLV -- for the study of ethics.

Bonaventure required the $5,000 donation because of his anger that Aston had stayed in his county job, collecting a paycheck, for two months after he had pleaded guilty to the felony charge.

Laura Fitzpatrick was appointed Feb. 3 by the County Commission to replace Aston after he resigned March 13 from his $83,200-a-year elected position he had held since 1986.

Fitzpatrick was hired at $72,000 a year. She plans to run for election this fall to retain the position.

The county treasurer is an elected position that serves two primary roles: collecting taxes and investing the county's $2 billion portfolio.