Tracey Obermiyer is shown with her attorney, Robert Kokor, at her sentencing May 3.
At her sentencing today, Tracey Obermiyer detailed her relationship with her sister, Dr. Kelley Kilar, the “steady decline” in her health as she battled misdiagnosed medical conditions, and her return to an “active and productive role in life” after she was properly diagnosed and received beneficial treatment.
But, one thing was missing from her statement, said Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Judge Sean O’Brien: an apology.
“It devastated her business,” O’Brien said of Obermiyer embezzling funds from Village Green Veterinary Service, 380 Route 7, Brookfield.
“It devastated her life, and devastated her relationship with her husband, as well,” O’Brien said, referring to a victim impact statement Kilar had filed.
O’Brien sentenced Obermiyer to 180 days in jail and 5 years’ probation. He also ordered her to repay $218,022 in restitution, although Obermiyer has started repaying her sister under a judgment against her in a separate civil suit.
Obermiyer, 52, of Sharon, formerly of Brookfield, pleaded guilty Nov. 30 to charges of grand theft, attempted identity fraud and forgery, all felonies.
Obermiyer was office manager for Village Green Veterinary Service, and handled all finances for the clinic, Brookfield police said.
In 2017, Kilar, the clinic’s owner, noticed discrepancies in financial records, and found that 2016 taxes had not been paid, police said.
Obermiyer took out two loans totaling about $66,500 without Kilar’s consent; changed telephone numbers and email addresses to be routed to her personally; used company funds to pay for repairs to her husband’s truck; and signed Kilar’s name on checks without Kilar’s permission, police said.
Kilar found a recorded conversation in which Obermiyer claimed to be Kilar and made arrangements with a representative of Bank of America to pay a past due account when she was not authorized to do so, police said.
Obermiyer’s medical condition, identified in 2019 as narcolepsy and catalepsy, left her extremely fatigued, sometimes in a catatonic state, forgetful, and unable to perform simple motor skills, Obermiyer said.
“It just got to the point I could barely care for my family,” she said.
After medication, she was able to be retrained as a nurse, and hopes to be able to advocate for people who suffer the same conditions as she does, Obermiyer said.
She said she was sorry for the pain she had caused Kilar.
“I never intended anything but the best for my sister,” Obermiyer said.
O’Brien countered that she didn’t show a positive sentiment to Kilar by stealing from her.
At Obermiyer’s request, O’Brien allowed her to report to the jail at noon May 8 to begin her sentence.
In 2021, a judge ordered Obermiyer and her husband, Thomas, to pay more than $240,000 in damages plus interest in a civil suit Kilar filed against them. The Obermiyers did not respond to the suit.
In 2022, Obermiyer reached a civil settlement in which she agreed to pay about $170,000 stemming from her time as treasurer of Liberty Local School District.
