The former recreation director for the City of Osawatomie pleaded guilty Wednesday to embezzling more than $125,000 from the city.

U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom says Ron Maring, 53, Osawatomie, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of tax fraud and false statement, and one count of money laundering.

In his plea, he admitted the crimes occurred while he was director of the Osawatomie Recreation Commission.  He wrote checks from the recreation commission’s account to himself and to American Legion Baseball. He converted the money for his own use and not for the use of the recreation commission or American Legion Baseball.

As part of the scheme, he persuaded recreation commission board members to sign blank checks, used his own signature as an endorsement and instructed a recreation commission employee to endorse checks.  When he filed his 2010 federal income tax return he failed to report the embezzled income, which would have added $14,902 in taxes owed.

Sentencing is set for Dec. 11. He faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison and a fine up to $100,000 on the tax charge, and a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $500,000 on the money laundering charge.