Hamburg Township Man Sentenced to Prison in HawaiiHamburg Township Man Sentenced to Prison in Hawaii

2/8/13 - A Livingston County man has been sentenced to prison following his conviction on charges of embezzling money from a Hawaiian coffee grower. 41-year-old John "Jason" Walaskay of Hamburg Township has been ordered to serve ten years behind bars following his guilty plea in December to charges of first and second degree theft and using a computer to commit a crime. Police say he stole nearly $200,000 from Kona's Best Natural Coffee while employed as a comptroller. Walaskay was extradited to Hawaii in August after he was taken into custody at the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, where he’d just begun work, also as a comptroller. Walaskay had been living on Hall Road in Hamburg Township at the time of his arrest. Walaskay was also ordered to repay more than $130,000 in restitution to the coffee company, beginning with 10% of any income he earns while in prison. This is not the first time Walaskay has been accused of stealing from an employer. According to a report by the Hendry County, Florida, sheriff’s office, Walaskay was arrested and charged with grand larceny in 2008 for allegedly stealing more than $100,000 from The Wallace Group, where he had been the chief financial officer. However, there’s no record he was ever prosecuted in that incident. (JK)