SMETHPORT – Former Bradford car dealer Philip C. Bauschard
pleaded guilty Thursday in McKean County Court to misappropriating
more than $190,000 from his car dealership in 2004 and 2005.

According to a plea agreement reached with the district
attorney’s office, Bauschard pleaded guilty to 11 counts of
misappropriation of funds and one count of theft by failure to make
required disposition of funds, said Assistant DA Scott Klein.

In accordance with the plea agreement, 64 other criminal counts
were dismissed. However, Bauschard pleaded guilty to charges
encompassing the full dollar amounts he had been charged with by
police.

Reading through the list of charges, Klein said that on Oct. 19,
2004, Klein said Bauschard misused $41,461.53 that was meant to be
put toward the purchase of a vehicle at Bauschard Dodge. That was
the one theft charge in the plea agreement.

In January of 2005, Bauschard misappropriated $47,652.82; in
June, $11,430.38; on Aug. 27, $3,666.94; on Sept. 1, $18,238.31; on
Sept. 23, $18,151; on Sept. 27, $14,346.85; on Oct. 25, $1,730.86;
between July 13 and 30, $10,178.38; during August, $11,180.40;
between Sept. 1 and 27, $8,960.25; and between Oct. 1 and 24,
$5,272.45.

Klein said the money was used “for purposes other than what it
was supposed to be used for.”

Judge John Yoder asked Bauschard, 58, of Orchard Place
Extension, how he pleaded to the charges.

“Guilty,” Bauschard replied quietly.

Yoder set sentencing for 9:30 a.m. Feb. 8.

Pennsylvania State Police investigated the dealership after
receiving complaints about ownership paperwork. Police found that
Bauschard had not been paying off vehicles that were traded in, but
had been making payments on them instead. Some vehicles were double
financed, and vehicles had been sold again before they were paid
off from the first trade-in, police said.

Police also said Bauschard had made full restitution before Dec.
31, 2005.

Since the police investigation, Bauschard Dodge closed its
doors. Another dealership has opened in its place.