EVANS CITY — Charges have been withdrawn against a man who was accused of taking thousands of dollars from a charity and spending it on personal items.

District court Judge Amy Marcinkiewicz on Wednesday, July 31, withdrew charges of theft by deception, theft of services, and theft by failure to make required distribution of funds against John Minarik of Harmony.

As part of a settlement, Minarik, 38, pleaded guilty to summary disorderly conduct, which is being moved to non-traffic court. In the end, Minarik paid a $300 fine plus court costs.

The Zelienople Police Department arrested Minarik in March for allegedly taking and spending $10,000 that was supposed to be donated to Nevin’s Hunting Friends, a Chicora-based charity run by Daniel Burns and his son, Nevin, which holds hunting trips for special-needs and disabled children.

These funds were collected during a golf outing held last September at Aubrey’s Dubbs Dred Golf Course in Butler Township, which was hosted by Minarik and his company, Veteran Containers.

According to Burns, Minarik and his company were in charge of routing the funds to the charity, and all donations were made in the name of “Veteran Containers,” but the money never arrived. Minarik blamed the missing money on a rogue employee of Veteran Containers who he eventually fired.

“At the end of the golf tourney, Mr. Minarik said an employee took some money,” said Dan Burns, president of Nevin’s Hunting Friends. “He tried to blame the employee for taking the money and fired the employee. The employee handed in all the receipts for everything and nothing was found.”

According to Burns, Minarik eventually admitted to the Zelienople Police Department that he was the one who spent the $10,000 and that it was gone.

“Mr. Minarik was given a time period to pay it and did not pay it, and charges were filed,” Burns said.

Minarik’s attorney, Michael J. Pawk of the Lutz, Pawk & Black law firm, maintains his client’s innocence and insists the fired employee was most likely the real culprit of the theft.

“Mr. Minarik wasn’t at this event. He wasn’t at the fundraiser,” Pawk said. “It was never my client’s intent not to give the money to the charity.”

Pawk also said the outstanding $10,000 has been repaid to the charity.

Despite the setback, Burns said the charity has been able to proceed as normal.

“We’re still raising money and taking kids hunting and doing our thing,” Burns said. “The kids suffered. I didn't suffer. It's not my money. So I was fighting for them. And I'm glad it worked out.”