By Joel van der Veen

CRAIK — Craik’s former town administrator has pleaded guilty to a single count of fraud.

Jeffrey Todd Murray has admitted to defrauding the Town of Craik in the amount of $14,181.30, both by overpaying his own salary and by making unauthorized purchases with the town’s Visa card.

Crown prosecutor Rob Parker told the Leader that Murray faces either a suspended sentence or incarceration, with his sentencing hearing scheduled in March.

Murray previously stood accused of 33 counts of fraud, laid in March and May of last year, totalling more than $41,000.

Those charges have since been withdrawn, and the single charge represents a significantly smaller amount — roughly one-third of the former total.

Even so, Parker noted the significance of the plea entered Wednesday, as a public acknowledgement of guilt.

“Clearly, there was an admission on Mr. Murray’s part that he had defrauded the town,” he said.

Murray, 42, appeared in Moose Jaw provincial court on Wednesday morning, accompanied by his legal counsel and an unidentified grey-haired woman.

He remained seated as his lawyer, Gail Wartman, addressed Justice Margaret Gordon, updating the court on recent developments.

Murray, who served as Craik’s administrator from 2010 to 2014, was previously accused of defrauding the town “by deceit, falsehood or other fraudulent means” in the amount of $41,079.81.

In March 2016, he was charged on 31 separate counts of fraud, followed by two additional charges in May.

Craik RCMP laid the charges, alleging that Murray had defrauded the town by using its Royal Bank credit card to make personal purchases at restaurants, retail stores and motels, as well as online.

For the full story, please see the Jan. 30 edition of The Davidson Leader, or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.