By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
A former Pioneer councilwoman has been sentenced to nearly two years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple felony charges tied to theft and fraud involving lottery tickets and pull-tab gambling.
Traci M. Weills was convicted in Williams County Common Pleas Court on four felony counts including attempted engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, telecommunications fraud, and two counts of theft.
Her conviction follows a broad investigation into a series of incidents that took place between January 2023 and early 2024 while she was employed as a manager at Pioneer Main Stop.
According to court records, Weills is alleged to have stolen lottery and pull-tab tickets from the store and provided them to her husband Kevin Weills, who then claimed the winnings.
She is also alleged to have also forged receipts and altered records in an attempt to cover up the scheme, which resulted in financial losses exceeding ninety thousand dollars.
In one instance, authorities alleged she set fire to a box containing pull-tab ticket receipts while customers and employees were in the store.
Although multiple arson-related charges were originally filed, those counts were later dismissed as part of the plea agreement.
Weills was sentenced to a total of twenty-three months in prison. The court ordered the prison terms for the third-degree and fifth-degree felonies to be served consecutively.
She was also ordered to pay over ninety-one thousand dollars in restitution jointly with Kevin Weills and to individually pay more than seventy-eight hundred dollars.
Upon release, she may be subject to up to two years of discretionary post-release control. Court documents noted that the decision for consecutive sentences was made in part to protect the public and reflect the seriousness of the conduct.