Former GCYC treasurer pleads guilty to embezzlement

The former treasurer of the Greene County Youth Center pleaded guilty in Greene’s Circuit Court to two counts of felony embezzlement on Monday, June 15, and not guilty to three counts of welfare fraud the following day.
Heather Eve Gallimore, 36, late of Ruckersville, is facing a maximum 40 years in prison when she is sentenced for the embezzlement offenses Friday, October 2 at 9:30 a.m.
After Judge J. Howe Brown accepted Gallimore’s plea, he ordered that the $10,000 personal recognizance bond that was allowing her freedom be replaced by a $10,000 secured by a bondsman.
“A bondsman can find her, but a personal property bond can’t,“ Judge Brown said. He was apparently aware that Gallimore was scheduled to be arraigned on additional charges the next day - as was her husband, Norman Gallimore, a former Greene County deputy.
On Tuesday, June 16, Heather Gallimore pleaded not guilty to the charges of welfare fraud before Judge Daniel Bouton. She waived her right to trial by jury and will be tried on those charges by a judge on Tuesday, October 6 at 9:30 a.m.
Judge Bouton continued Norman Gallimore’s arraignment to Tuesday, July 28, at 9:30 a.m.
Heather Gallimore’s legal troubles began in early August of last year when Youth Center funds were discovered missing.
The nonprofit maintains four baseball fields off Route 33 East in Ruckersville, where dozens of teams play ball from early spring until mid-June of each year. The majority of its funding comes from concessions. The rest comes from the sponsorship of teams by local businesses, and donations.

Heather Gallimore was accused of the illegal use of the nonprofit’s checks and ATM card between July 2007 and June 2008. Warrants were issued for her arrest August 20 on charges of embezzlement, uttering (cashing) a forged check and forgery were issued.
She “wrote checks to herself and signed the names of officers of the Youth Center,“ Commonwealth Attorney Ronald Morris told Judge Brown Monday. “The Sam’s Club membership for the Youth Center was used for herself; for baking supplies for the baking business she operated out of her home. She also used the (Youth Center’s) debit card for (personal) Christmas purchases.“
Morris also pointed out Monday that Heather Gallimore had taken it upon herself to be in charge of the Youth Center’s concession stand, where “she had access to cash.“
In December she was indicted on two counts of embezzling funds, as well as two counts of uttering (cashing) a forged check, and two counts of two counts of forgery.
At the time, Morris said, “We believe the facts will show that more than $1,000 was involved. But in order to prove felony embezzlement we only have to prove that more than $200 was involved.“
On May 8, subpoenas were issued for account records from July 2007 through August 2008 in the name of the Greene County Youth Center at the Bank of America and Sam’s Club, and for account records in the name of Norman and Heather Gallimore from SunTrust Bank.
On Monday, as Heather Gallimore, dressed in a gray tee shirt and pants, sat quietly and respectfully, with her eyes lowered, the uttering and forgery charges were dropped as part of a plea agreement. However, Judge Brown made it clear that the plea agreement had to do with the charges; not the sentencing.
Morris explains that “typically, the amount taken has influence on punishment … how much she actually embezzled remains an issue.“ He added that amounts will be discussed during pre-sentencing.
When she was arrested last August, Heather Gallimore’s address was listed as 92 Rudolph Street in Ruckersville. More recent records list the Gallimores’ address as 2068 Whispering Woods Drive in Charlottesville.
Heather Gallimore was represented Monday by Stephen C. Harris, P.C. of Louisa. She is being represented on the welfare fraud charges by a court-appointed attorney, Terry Hughes of Terry Hughes Law Office in Palmyra.
Norman Gallimore left Greene’s Sheriff’s Office in early 2007. On Tuesday, Attorney Steven Shareff of Louisa was appointed to represent him.