GREENFIELD — It’s been 11 months since Ron Nichter pleaded guilty to mail fraud after he was accused of bilking clients out of $160,000, and the former investment manager and city official has yet to be sentenced.
Meanwhile, his victims are still waiting for justice.
Nichter was scheduled to be sentenced Thursday, but the federal government requested a continuance, court documents show.
Nichter was indicted under federal charges in 2013 on eight counts of mail fraud and eight counts of aggravated identity theft. Last February, Nichter pleaded guilty to eight counts of mail fraud. In exchange, the federal government dismissed the additional eight counts of aggravated identity theft.
Federal officials said beginning in October 2009 Nichter created false documents with forged client signatures that requested funds to be withdrawn from their investment accounts. The checks issued in response to these documents would then be forwarded to one of two addresses — a post office box in Pendleton rented by Nichter or the home of the defendant’s former assistant, according to court documents.
Nichter allegedly deposited them into his own bank account, having endorsed the checks and forged signatures of the 14 victims, according to the federal indictment.
The victims lived in Greenfield, Pendleton, Anderson, Shirley and Clearwater, Florida. Several of the checks written on Nichter’s clients’ accounts were for $10,000; some were for $5,000, and one was for $3,500, records state.
Since he pleaded guilty, his sentencing hearing has been called off several times. This week, it was rescheduled for March 2.
Nichter’s victims said they’re frustrated that Nichter hasn’t been sentenced yet.
Former Greenfield Mayor Brad DeReamer, who knew Nichter for more than two decades and served on city’s board of works alongside him, said he and his wife, Sharon, are disappointed in the justice system.
“A crime was committed. If you break the law, you should pay the consequences. He hasn’t,” said DeReamer, who now lives in Fishers.
The couple said they never received a dime from Nichter personally, nor an apology. They did receive restitution from the firm Nichter was working for.
Nichter declined to comment for the story. His attorney, Monica Foster, could not be reached for comment.
