Former sheriff's deputy in Skagit County sentenced after embezzling more than $30,000

A former sheriff's deputy in Skagit County was sentenced Tuesday after embezzling more than $30,000 from a police dog handlers organization, according to U.S. Attorney Brian Moran. He was sentenced by the U.S. District Court in Seattle to 60 days in prison and six months of at-home confinement with electric monitoring.

Brian A. Lehr, 53, of Sedro Wooley was the secretary and treasurer of the Pacific Northwest Police Detention Dog Association. For at least six years, Lehr embezzled $33,641 to use for his own expenses including restaurant bills, hotel bills and his cable TV and cellphone bills, according to Moran.

Lehr assumed his leadership position in 1998, according to records from the case. A press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office said Lehr had complete control over the association's finances with little oversight.

A financial report prepared by Lehr in 2013 claimed the organization had nearly $20,000 in its account, where in fact he had stolen all but $276.79, according to the press release. The U.S. attorney stated that Lehr took the money by both directly making payment's from the organization's account for his own bills as well as withdrawing cash from the account.

Lehr pleaded guilty to wire fraud in December 2018, and his case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Friedman.

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