EX - Commissary Director Admits $128,000 Theft

A retired commissary store director has admitted stealing at least $128,000 from his store at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. according to the U.S. Attorney's office in the Arizona district. James Leahey, 69, of Marble Falls, Texas, pleaded guilty in Federal court Oct. 18 to theift and miney laundering, He admited converting hundreds of vendor credit checks to cash and using the money to gamble and make personel purchases from Oct. 1997 - july 2004, according to the U.S. Attorney's office. Defense Commissary Agency spokesman Kevin Robinson said Keahey retired from the commissary system Sept. 3, 2004. Robinson said a vendor credit checl is issued by a vendor to reimburse the goverment for products marked down for a quick sale, or for outdated or damaged merchandise that is returned to the vendor.Leahey failed to log hundreds of vendor credit checks in his commissary's books, instead exchanging them for cash from a store cash drawer and pocketing the money, investigators said. Leahey will be sentenced Jan. 8, convictions for theft of public money and money laundering each carry a maxium penalty of 10 years in jail, a fine of up to $250,00, or both.