(Spirit Lake)– A former General Manager of two local radio stations has been charged for allegedly misappropriating money.
Spirit Lake Police Chief Jeff Hanson says 48-year-old Michael William Puetz of Okoboji was arrested today (Fri.) and charged with theft in the first degree…a class “C” felony; and ongoing criminal conduct…a class “B” felony.
Puetz was booked into the Dickinson county jail and was freed after posting a cash-only bond of 45,500-dollars.
Hanson says the arrest stems from a month-long investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds from KUOO and KUQQ Radio stations in Spirit Lake and owner Sorenson Broadcasting…operated by NRG Media, LLC.
The investigation identified approximately 32,021-dollars of what’s alleged to be improper or unsupported disbursements from 2000 until September, 2005. Puetz was the General Manager of the radio stations during that time. The investigation identified payments toward family vacations to Cancun and Ixtapa, Mexico; the Dominican Republic; and Las Vegas…along with other miscellaneous expenses.
