ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Robert Kimble, a graduate of Martins Ferry City Schools District, said love of his hometown and school motivated him to defraud his employer, F.M. Global, to benefit the district. He was sentenced Monday.

Belmont County Common Pleas Judge John Vavra imposed two years of community controls. A violation of the terms will result in a sentence of 1.5 years in prison.

Kimble, 58, of 9807 Kelly Drive, Loveland, Ohio, pleaded guilty to fourth-degree felony grand theft occurring around Jan. 30, 2018. Kimble and one current and one former school official must pay $26,600 restitution to the FM Global Foundation.

There are no criminal charges filed against the school officials. Kimble is in the process of repaying the amount.

Afterward, Vavra elaborated on the offenses.

“As an employee benefit … if you made a charitable donation they would double-match the donation,” he said, of F.M. Global, adding that Kimble was accused of providing money to an athletic fund. Vavra said another man would write a check to Kimble. “He in turn would deposit this check and write his own check. … Then would report to F.M. Global.

“Global would double that donation,” Vavra said, adding there were multiple donations, some as high as $5,000. “That $5,000 from Kimble, the fund paid that back to (the original check writer) … And it happened several times, to the tune that F.M. Global donated $26,600 under this scheme.”

Vavra said the account was maintained “outside the books” of the school district and was set up to pay for resurfacing the football field.

“Apparently Ayers Limestone loaned (the district) money to do this, and they were using this fund to pay Ayers back, among other things, so the fund was always out of money,” Vavra said, noting the current school district administration looked into the matter and requested an audit.

“They supposedly knew nothing about this. They’re the ones who called in the state auditor’s office.”

During sentencing Kimble’s attorneys, David H. Thomas and Kathryn S. Wallrabenstein, asked Vavra to consider that while economic harm was done, his life has been a law-abiding one, he did not personally profit from the crime, and the circumstances were unique.

“Mr. Kimble is from Martins Ferry, loves Martins Ferry, and it got taken off into this terrible, unpredictable direction,” Thomas said.

“That loyalty to home has caused a lot of serious harm, and Mr. Kimble has accepted responsibility. … He has been extremely remorseful.”

Kimble was visibly emotional when making his statement to Vavra.

“I am truly sorry,” Kimble said. “I grew up in Martins Ferry. I was trying to help. … I know this has cost me my career at a company I love. I had 34 years working for that company. This was certainly not the way I wanted to retire.”

“Loving your hometown and your school is not grounds to lie and commit fraud,” Vavra said, but he took the mitigating factors into account, including Kimble’s early guilty plea and willingness to make restitution.

In answer to a question from Vavra, special prosecutor Tom Anger from the state auditor’s office said others likely will face prosecution.

Martins Ferry Superintendent Jim Fogle did not respond to requests for comment.