Plymouth ambulance service official gets jail time

The former treasurer of a Plymouth Township ambulance service, who admitted to plundering $2.2 million from the nonprofit company, was sentenced yesterday to 5 to 20 years in jail.

In addition, County Court Judge William Carpenter ordered Harvey S. Grossman, 48, to make $2.1 million in restitution to the Plymouth Community Ambulance Association.

The stiff jail term was unexpected, said Grossman's attorney, Francis J. Genovese.

"He's stunned," Genovese said yesterday. "I think his main concern is letting his family know what happened. Obviously, he won't be home tonight." Grossman's defense team hasn't decided whether to appeal the sentence, Genovese said.

"We were a little surprised that the judge gave us that much time," he said, "although we respect the judge's decision."

"I was not surprised," said Assistant District Attorney Steven Latzer. "We were very pleased."

Grossman, who pleaded guilty in January to 11 counts of fraud, theft and conspiracy, acknowledged using the money to pay for everything from kitchen appliances in his Blue Bell home to his daughter's bat mitzvah.

The thefts from the Montgomery County association occurred from 2001 to 2005.

Grossman and two codefendants, also former officers of the company, were suspended after an investigation into misuse of ambulance funds became public in 2005. Montgomery County Sheriff John P. Durante, the group's interim president, said yesterday that he has agreed to remain in the post for the next 18 months.

"The thing that bothers me is that this man played with people's lives," Durante said of Grossman. "I really feel justice is served."

Plymouth is the county's largest ambulance service, serving Plymouth, Norristown, East Norriton, West Norriton, Bridgeport, Whitpain and Worcester, and a portion of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Nonprofit ambulance companies are common in suburban communities, with volunteers serving on boards of directors.

"Stealing from your company is certainly egregious," Latzer said when Grossman entered his plea. "Stealing from a nonprofit organization that is solely in business to assist the public is absolutely over the top."

According to the criminal complaint, Grossman - who owed a financial-planning firm, College Financial Planning Counselors, in Plymouth Meeting - used the ambulance company's money to spend lavishly on himself and his family.

He took trips to California and Florida and bought baby furniture and toys for his son, now 3 years old. He even used the money to pay his synagogue dues.

Grossman also diverted more than $12,000 to pay the party company that arranged his daughter's bat mitzvah celebration in 2004.

An investigation began after detectives were tipped that Grossman and the codefendants, George Gilliano and Jeffrey S. Cohen, were "taking and/or receiving large amounts" of money without the board's approval, according to the complaint.

Cohen, of Chester Springs, the company's president, and Gilliano, of Blue Bell, the chief of operations, are to be sentenced on lesser charges on July 9, Latzer said.

Grossman was to report to Graterford Prison for processing, he said.

Genovese said he expected his client to be assigned to a minimum-security facility.