TOPEKA, KAN. - A former mayor of Lawrence was sentenced Tuesday to ten months in federal prison for embezzling thousands of dollars from a food bank in Douglas County, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said. The defendant was ordered to pay $81,446 in restitution.
Jeremy James Farmer, 33, Lawrence, Kan., pleaded guilty in September 2016 to one count of interstate transportation of stolen funds. Farmer admitted the crimes took place while he was executive director of Just Food, a food bank in Douglas County. Just Food serves more than 40 partner agencies with frozen meat and fresh produce as well as bread and food donated from community drives. The organization and its partners play a key role in fighting hunger in Douglas County.
From 2013 until Farmer resigned from Just Food and from his position as mayor of Lawrence in August 2015 he used his access to Just Foods’ bank accounts and accounting systems to steal more than $5,000 from the organization.
Beall commended the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rich Hathaway for their work on the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
