Former Gage employee sentenced for embezzling

A former Gage Motor Mall employee will serve 210 days in jail for embezzling more than $70,000 from the business where she once served as office manager. Amy Ruth Barnes-Trusty, 38, of Muskegon was also placed on probation for 60 months when he was sentenced Monday in Ottawa County Circuit Court. She will be allowed to participate in the work release program. Barnes-Trusty was ordered to pay restitution of $72,565, and pay fines and costs of $266. She was also sentenced to 210 days in jail for forgery. The sentences will be served at the same time.

Becky Vargo

Grand Haven

Aug 9, 2011

Officials at the Grand Haven dealership, 1701 S. Beacon Blvd., were alerted to a problem when they were notified about overdue sales tax, said Lt. Renee Freeman of the Grand Haven Department of Public Safety.

“That raised a red flag and they started looking into it,” she said.

The embezzlement occurred between November 2008 and February of this year, Freeman said.

Barnes-Trusty was charged with the crimes in early April.