MEDINA — A Wadsworth resident’s use of three aliases put him in prison for six months Friday.
During Donald Tiger’s sentencing hearing for a February felony forgery conviction, his lawyer argued that while the 41-year-old did business under the three aliases, no harm was done, and he used them to protect himself and his family from “church zealots”.
Attorney David Sheldon said the 37 days Tiger, of 560 West St., has spent in the Medina County Jail is adequate punishment.
Common pleas Judge Christopher L. Collier did credit Tiger for time served, but sentenced him to six months in prison. After his release, Tiger will be on five years probation, the legal maximum.
Collier said he will review the sentencing in three months to determine Tiger’s eligibility for home arrest.
Tiger also will have to complete 200 hours of community service following his release.
In court testimony, Tiger, a certified public accountant, was said to have funneled thousands of dollars of church funds from Restored Church of God through an account at the Charter One Bank in Wadsworth under the name Gregory H. Walburn, one of his three aliases.
Walburn, who lives in Lorain, has acknowledged giving Tiger permission to use his name and characterized the trial as a witch hunt.
Records show a minister at Restored Church of God feared Tiger, the church’s accountant, was embezzling money.
No church money was missing. But, said Wadsworth Detective Daniel Boyd, a search of Tiger’s West Street home in June 2000 led investigators to two storage lockers containing three sets of documents for aliases.
During Tiger’s trial, two employees of Charter One in Wadsworth, where Tiger did business, identified him as a man they knew us Walburn.
Tiger also used the aliases Richard C. Russell and Walter J. Nobel.
Medina, Ohio newspaper: The Gazette, Saturday, March 24, 2001
