John Valenta allegedly submitted more than $200,000 in fake invoices to WDCB-FM 90.9 for repairs to the college radio equipment. | File photo
John Valenta allegedly submitted more than $200,000 in fake invoices to WDCB-FM 90.9 for repairs to the college radio equipment. | File photo
The trial of former College of DuPage radio engineer John Valenta began Tuesday, according to the Edgar County Watchdogs.
Nearly two years after being charged with felony theft, Valenta will face the court. College of DuPage internal auditor James Martner, WDCB station manager Daniel Bindert and other staff were subpoenaed for the trial.
Valenta was arrested and charged on Feb. 19, 2015, with a Class 1 felony. He allegedly submitted more than $200,000 in fake invoices to WDCB-FM 90.9 for repairs to the college jazz station's transmitter. The invoices were dated between June 2006 and December 2013.
“The allegations in this case clearly illustrate the concept of simple greed,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement after Valenta's arrest in 2015. “The defendant had a good job for more than two decades before he allegedly decided to illegally supplement his income at the expense of the College of DuPage.”
The DuPage County State's Attorney's Office and College of DuPage conducted a 13-month investigation into invoices submitted from Broadcast Technologies, which was owned by Valenta. The 30-year COD employee was already on probation for a 2012 case that involved fake invoices that were submitted to Elmhurst College's campus radio station.
Valenta retired from the station before the auditor's report was issued by Martner. It accused Valenta of approving the fake invoices, which was a violation of school policies.
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