Former Pasco Downtown Development Director Heading to Prison

A year in prison awaits Michael Goins, former Downtown Pasco Developmental Authority Director, for embezzling more than $90K which included some taxpayer money.

Goins, who came to the Tri-Cities from New Jersey, was hired a couple of years ago, and initially was successful in staging several events and heading up some revitalization projects for Downtown Pasco.

But in 2015, the issues came to a head, when other Association and city officials began to receive delinquent bill notices, including ones from the IRS for back taxes. It turns out Goins had been skimming money from the Association to pay back child support owed in the East Coast.

He reportedly used the money for everything from groceries to utility bills, and even trips. The one-year deal could expand if more audits that are pending show he took more than $150,000. He plead guilty to First Degree Theft with Aggravating circumstances. However additional charges could be filed following the completion of the investigation by the Washington State Auditor's office in June.

Officials felt it was more cost effective to send him to prison, rather than have the county continue to pay for his incarceration-especially since he had already defrauded taxpayers.

Last summer, before the allegations came to light, Goins was a guest on the Newstalk870 Meet In The Middle Program. Less than a few weeks later, he was in jail for the alleged crimes.