Pocono News Section

Deputy Prison Warden Admits Wrongdoing

Deputy Prison Warden Admits Wrongdoing - Thursday, November 29, 2007 at 10:40PM EST

Reported by: Jill Konopka
Thursday, Nov 29, 2007 @10:40pm EST
The Debit card debacle continues to escalate.
On Thursday one county leader admits he abused his county issued card during a tax-payer sponsored business trip to Las Vegas.
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Deputy Prison Warden Sam Hyder says using the card was a mistake. The main topic at the Luzerne County Commissioners meeting was supposed to be the 2008 budget proposal.
But county issued debit card spending took center stage. Apparently what happens in Vegas, doesn't always necessarily stay in Vegas.
Deputy Warden Sam Hyder, "I'm taking full responsibility. There is nobody else to blame with this card except myself."
Luzerne County's Deputy Prison Warden Sam Hyder is under attack for spending $71.00 dollars on a county issued debit card at a Sin City strip club in 2006.
Deputy Warden Sam Hyder spoke with WBRE News, "The sapphire is a gentleman's club. I pulled my wrong credit card out with a couple of friends and I bought a round of drinks. The two were almost identical the debit card and the Luzerne County debit card.
The issue was front and center at Thursdays' county commissioner meeting.
Ed Chesnovitch of Jenkins Township is outraged, "The debit card issue I thought was criminal. This is public money that's being spent incorrectly."
Hyder and five other county employees were in Las Vegas on business.
After putting in an 8 hour work day, Hyder says he went out and made an honest mistake.
First thing Thursday morning, he paid $71.00 dollars back to the county.
Hyder added, I do apologize. I didn't mean to do any harm to taxpayers it was an honest mistake on my part. I'm guilty of it.
During that same trip, Hyder says he also charged nearly $900.00 tax payer dollars to the same debit card for dinner.
Hyder said, "We realized it was beyond our means and the next couple of days it wasn't used. For the total trip we ended up spending $55.00 dollars a day."
Commissioner Greg Skrepenak says the county policy will be changed if necessary and people - like himself will be held accountable for their actions.
Greg Skrepenak said, "As commissioner I take responsibility for what has happened. There was a $300.00 reimbursement made to that account after they came back

The District AttorneyÕs office says they are not investigating this debit card debacle.
The state Auditor Generals Office says it cannot investigate, because it doesn't involve state money.
By the way, the $147,000,000.00 dollar budget passed the first reading by a 2-1 margin and will be up for final approval December 21st with no new tax increases and several million dollars in borrowed monies.