Local man accused of embezzlement from Mt. Vernon Dog Club

Mt. Vernon’s Walsh charged with domestic assault, second-degree child endangerment in unrelated incident
 
A Mt. Vernon man is facing charges for felony stealing after being accused of embezzling money from a local dog club that he was leading.
Kenneth Walsh, 50, was booked into the Lawrence County Jail on Tuesday, Feb. 9; he was released the same day on $5,000 bond.
According to the probable cause statement in the case, the victim, a local business person, reported to the Mt. Vernon Police Department that she had purchased advertisement space in the Mt. Vernon Dog Club calendar; she said she purchased her space for the month of June or July, paid $500 for the space and provided the salesperson with four pictures.
Asst. Chief of Police Jason Lacey stated he spoke with the treasurer of the Mt. Vernon Dog Club, who told him that Walsh, the club’s president, had been stealing money from the account. Lacey reported that $1,040.32 had been stolen from the club’s account, leaving it with a negative balance of $94.28.
Lacey also spoke with the salesperson who sold the victim the advertising space; she said the victim’s $500 had been deposited into the club’s account. Lacey then interviewed Walsh; he reported that Walsh was deceptive during the interview, but admitted that he took too much money from the club’s account.
Other charges already against suspect
Walsh also faces charges of fourth-degree domestic assault and second-degree child endangerment; the charges stem from an incident that took place on Tuesday, Jan. 12. In that case, Mt. Vernon police officers were dispatched to Walsh’s apartment. When they arrived, he told them that a boy in the apartment had punched him in his head. One of the officers spoke with the boy, who said that Walsh barged in his room and yelled at him; the boy also stated Walsh pushed him, grabbed his arm and choked him. The officer reported the boy had marks on the right side of his throat and his left arm.
 The other officer on the scene spoke with a woman in the apartment, who said Walsh and the boy had an argument that became physical; she also said Walsh pushed the boy and twisted his arm. The woman also said she saw Walsh with his hand’s around the boy’s throat; she stated the boy struck Walsh, but it wasn’t until Walsh put his hand on the boy first.
One of the officers spoke with Walsh, who said he asked the boy to do some chores, and that the boy struck him in the jaw and on the face. Walsh claimed he tried to restrain the boy, but he got winded and let him go, after which he said the boy struck him on top of his head. Walsh was taken into custody and held overnight at the jail.
Court date
Walsh is next due in court on Thursday, Feb. 18, for arraignment on the domestic assault and child endangerment charges; he had no court dates scheduled on the stealing charges as of press time.