GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — The former finance director of the Nebraska State Fair has pleaded no contest to three counts of felony theft of money from the fair.
Thirty-year-old Patrick Kopke entered the plea Tuesday and faces up to 20 years in prison on each charge when he is sentenced in October.
Kopke was charged after a state audit showed a company he created had been paid nearly $150,000 from state funds but did not perform any work for the fair.
The auditors said Kopke used bank accounts from the company to pay more than $100,000 in personal expenses.