A former Oakland resident pleads guilty to fraud and theft. According to Garrett County State’s Attorney Lisa Thayer Welch, 49 year old Bernard Lahay was sentenced to six months behind bars for each case at the Garrett County Detention Center with the sentences to run consecutively. Both cases were investigated by Maryland State Police. In the first case a local couple filed a complaint after they determined that Lahay, who had represented himself as a “Board Certified Marriage and Family Therapist” did not hold a state certification to provide such services. This was later verified by the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors & Therapists. The second case was based on a $4,000 grant for which Lahay had applied through the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware to establish a youth loft area. Lahay then endorsed the Church’s name and deposited the check into his personal account. Prior to the pleas being entered, Lahay had made restitution in both cases.
