WILLCOX — The former president of the Rex Allen Days board has been indicted on multiple counts of felony embezzlement.
A Cochise County Grand Jury handed down the indictment on Sept. 3, according to Willcox Police reports.
Willcox accountant John Allen Oberreuter is accused of taking in excess of $67,000 through wire transfers, ATM withdrawals and ACH transactions.
In a statement issued following Oberreuter’s arrest, the Rex Allen Days board said they were unable to stop the alleged theft, because Oberreuter had changed the passwords for the nonprofit organization’s banking and refused anyone else access.
When Willcox Police made contact with Oberreuter, he reportedly told them, “He knew he was not supposed to take it without approval from the board, but (he) was just borrowing it so it was OK.”
The report also shows a second victim who claimed Oberreuter offered to help the victim with a $50,000 business loan, but Oberreuter had actually secured a $175,000 loan in the victim’s name. Oberreuter is alleged to have kept the balance and the victim is in significant debt due to the loan being in his name.
It was also discovered that Oberreuter did not have a valid accounting license, having been previously convicted of felony financial crimes
The Rex Allen Days board said the event is still moving forward on its scheduled dates, Oct. 1-4. This year is the 75th anniversary of the community event.
Rex Allen Days is named for actor/singer Rex Allen, who was born in Willcox in 1920. He starred as a singing cowboy in dozens of movies and narrated nature films for Disney. He also had three Top 10 hits on the U.S. Country charts — “Sparrow in the Treetop,” “Crying in the Chapel” and “Don’t Go Near the Indians.”
