A former Blair County worker got a sweetheart deal this week from the Blair County District Attorney's Office.
It's a deal that should make county taxpayers very upset.
Diane Lynn Wilt, 53, of Roaring Spring was accepted Tuesday into the county's Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program, a decision which may result in a clean criminal record upon successful completion.
Wilt was accused of stealing more than $6,000 from the sheriff's office where she had worked for 11 years. She was first placed on leave and then fired in February.
Wilt stands to lose $6,108 - the amount reported missing from the office - from her county retirement account. She was sentenced to nine months' probation and 25 hours of community service.
Wilt lost her job. She will lose the retirement money.
But where is the justice in giving her the opportunity to have a clean record?
Wilt's attorney, Thomas M. Dickey, proclaimed his client's innocence and said he would have called many former sheriff's employees to the stand had the case gone to trial.
We don't fault Dickey working to get the best outcome for his client. We do fault District Attorney Richard Consiglio for allowing such a deal to be handed out.
Wilt was paid by the county and by extension the taxpayers. She worked in an office that performs functions on behalf of the courts.
The taxpayers expect higher standards for its workers, who need to be held accountable when they commit misdeeds - fortunately a very rare occurrence.
In this case, the county and Sheriff Mitchell Cooper held Wilt accountable, but the DA's office gave her a free pass.
