photo by: Robert A. DeFrank

Michael Delatore, left, former principal of Martins Ferry Middle School, with a court official during his sentence Monday for his part in defrauding a business to benefit a school district athletic fund.

A former Martins Ferry Middle School principal and the third defendant to plead guilty in a scheme to defraud a business was sentenced Monday.

Michael Delatore of 1407 Kennedy Ave., Martins Ferry, appeared before Belmont County Common Pleas Judge John Vavra, who sentenced him to one year of community controls, or probation. Delatore had pleaded guilty to theft in office, a fifth-degree felony.

He is the third and final defendant who pleaded guilty to crimes related to the scheme. The others are former Martins Ferry City School District superintendent Dirk Fitch and Delatore’s brother-in-law Robert Kimble.

In August, the Martins Ferry High School alumnus Kimble was sentenced for fourth-degree felony grand theft. Kimble had been an employee of FM Global Foundation, which had a policy of matching an employee’s charitable donations.

Delatore would write a check to Kimble, who would deposit the check, write his own check for a donation and report it to FM Global. There were multiple donations involved, some as high as $5,000. Delatore, who wrote the original check, was reimbursed from this fund.

FM Global was defrauded of $10,000 as a result. Kimble has since made restitution.

In a prior hearing, Vavra had noted the account was maintained “outside the books” of the school district and was set up to pay for resurfacing the football field.

Delatore was a school employee for more than 30 years. He retired in January. His attorney, Steven S. Nolder, said the penalty was appropriate.

“There’s much more to Mike Delatore than the offense that causes him to be on your sentencing board this afternoon,” he said. “Mike has been a pillar of his community for 37 years as a coach, as an administrator and as an educator, and knowing that this … was going to be entered, he resigned.”

Delatore spoke about the circumstances of the crime.

“In 2012 the … fund started running out of money. My brother-in-law and I offered with the purest intentions to help,” he said. “But we went about it the wrong way. I now know that this turned out to be a bad mistake, and I take full responsibility for my actions. At no time did I benefit financially from these donations. With that said, I would like to apologize to my family, my friends, the Martins Ferry City Schools community, FM Global and this court.”

Vavra took into account Delatore’s remorse, his largely law-abiding life and several letters of support, adding that he was not eligible for a prison sentence under state law.

A violation of the terms of his sanctions could result in one year in prison.

The school district and the state auditor’s office did not respond to requests for comment.