Head of rural Saskatchewan library sent to jail for embezzlement

Bruce Cameron, 65, admitted in court to embezzling a half-million dollars from the Wheatland Regional Library.

He was sentenced to two years for fraud.

Saskatoon provincial court Judge Barry Singer said that Cameron was motivated by greed and excitement.

Cameron was also persistent. He stole the money over a period of 14 years.

"Only a person of good reputation can continue a crime like this," said Singer. "That's why it is such a significant breach of trust."

Crown prosecutor Gary Parker described the scheme as "sophisticated and elaborate." He said Cameron set up a fake company called Desert Rose Books based in Carson City, Nev., and ordered publications that didn't exist, then pocketed the money.

Defence lawyer Andrew Mason told the court he had planned to ask for a conditional sentence that Cameron could serve in the community under house arrest. But Cameron agreed with the Crown that he should serve time behind bars.

"He is prepared to accept full responsibility for this," said Mason.

The lawyer said his client gave up his pension and sold his house to pay back the money after a civil lawsuit was settled in 2005.

The Wheatland library operates 46 branches that serve more than 100 rural municipalities in west-central Saskatchewan

Arlene Pederson, the new president of the library board, said outside court that nearly $1 million actually disappeared while Cameron was employed. But officials could only prove about half that was stolen.

She said she had always respected Cameron and believed he had the library's best interests at heart.

"To find out that he had done this to us, there was anger - extreme anger."

Cameron was fired from his job after returning from one of his many Mexican holidays in 2004, said Pederson.

Police charged him with fraud last year.

Pederson said the money Cameron has paid back will be used to buy new books.