A local funeral home director convicted of defrauding the state of public assistance funds for funeral costs was sentenced today to pay a $350 fine.

Dickinson Family Funeral Homes director Gary Sebranek, 58, of 6007 E. Robil Court, has 60 days to pay the fine or has the option of completing 20 hours of community service.
Sebranek pleaded guilty July 3 to one misdemeanor count of public assistance fraud for charging the family of a deceased Medicaid recipient for funeral and burial expenses while also submitting a claim to the state for $2,500 in public assistance funds in April 2006, according to the criminal complaint filed by the state Department of Justice. He has paid restitution.

Co-defendant and funeral home owner Darrell Dickinson, 59, was sentenced Aug. 22 to three days in the La Crosse County Jail and six months on electronic monitoring after pleading guilty to two felony charges of public assistance fraud for making false claims in June and November 2006. He completed his sentence Thursday.

For more on the sentencing, see www.lacrossetribune.com or Saturday’s Tribune.

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