Ex-director charged in station theft

A criminal complaint filed Wednesday charges the former director of Carson Access Television with misappropriating nearly $500,000 over the course of five years and paying back all but $80,454.

Craig Swope was booked and released without posting bail from the Carson City Jail on Wednesday night to satisfy an arrest warrant.

"He has cooperated fully with everything that he's been requested to do," Swope's attorney Jason Woodbury said.

From January 1999 to June 2003, Swope wrote himself duplicate payroll checks and used CAT 10 funds "for his own personal use and benefit," District Attorney Noel Waters said in the complaint.

In December 2002, non-sufficient fund charges began to appear monthly, eventually ending in June with a total $2,268, an exhibit attached to the complaint shows.

According to the complaint, each count is representative of each year Swope allegedly misappropriated money:

- Count 1 for 1999 shows approximately $39,565 embezzled, with $28,953 repaid leaving a balance of $10,612.

- Count 2 for 2000 shows approximately $63,402 embezzled, with $52,846 repaid leaving a balance of $10,556.

- Count 3 for 2001 shows approximately $56,598 embezzled, with $15,780 repaid leaving a balance of $40,818.

- Count 4 for 2002 shows approximately $145,858 embezzled, with $136,738 repaid leaving a balance of $9,119.

- Count 5 for 2003 shows approximately $191,032 embezzled, with $184,648 repaid leaving a balance of $6,383.

In June 2003, Swope allegedly told the nonprofit station's board members he'd been using money from the business account for several months because of a gambling problem.

At that time, about $5,000 was awaiting payment because of non-sufficient funds.

An audit of the station's account uncovered dozens of checks made out in Swope's name, the exhibit shows.

CAT 10 is contracted by the city to record and broadcast public meetings. It also provides public service broadcasts of community events, locally produced programs and announcements.

Swope used to work for radio station KPTL-AM in Carson City, where he was news director, general manager and a well-known on-air personality for 15 years before taking over CAT 10 in 1998.

Contact F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.