Former Moniteau County commissioner gets probation for stealing

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) -

A former Moniteau County commissioner will serve five years of probation for stealing.

Douglas Naros, 57, pleaded guilty on Thursday to felony stealing for taking gravel from the county and using a county dump truck to work on his driveway. Prosecutors dropped a forgery charge and second stealing count as part of the plea.

Naros was arrested and charged in February after the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated claims he was using county resources for personal gain. Naros resigned from the commission shortly before the case became public. The case was moved to Morgan County in April.

Judge Aaron Koeppen sentenced him to five years of probation with a suspended imposition of sentence. That means the conviction will not be imposed on Naros completes probation. Naros was also ordered to repay $3,630.34 in restitution.

Moniteau County Presiding Commissioner Joe Lutz said the punishment was too weak.

"If you're in a position of power and you abuse that, I think it should be a stiffer punishment," Lutz said in a phone interview with KMIZ.