Felony dismissed against Bourbon school board president
Written by Jaime Baranyai
Tuesday, February 02 2010
BOURBON – Although theft charges against the president of the Crawford County R-I School Board have been dismissed, Darrel Bosse doesn’t know if the shadow cast over his name will ever be lifted. Bosse, 51, of Bourbon was originally charged Aug. 28, 2009, with a felony for stealing money from his former employer, Clyde Cremer of American Log Homes, according to Crawford County court documents. The charge was dismissed on Jan. 13, but the accusation threw his professional and personal life into turmoil. “The anguish you and your family go through … it’s tough,” Bosse said, pausing to find the words to describe the pain the accusation has caused him, his wife and children. The dismissal came after enduring five months of stress, humiliation and fear of imprisonment for something he didn’t do. “This is evident by the whispers and glancing looks he receives when he is among the public,” according to a statement from Bosse’s attorney, David S. Smith of Lange, Paulus, Howald and Smith in Sullivan. “This is evident by the direct inquires he has received from his peers and continuants related to his seat on the Bourbon School Board. This is evident by the shame that has been forced upon him through this deal.”
The charge was dismissed because Cremer, who was repeatedly asked to provide documentation and proof to support his accusations, failed to do so, Bosse’s attorney said. “The documentation and proof was never delivered for the simple fact that the allegations made by Clyde Cremer against Darrel Bosse were completely false,” the statement from Smith says.
Cremer, however, contends he submitted plenty of evidence to the prosecuting attorney. “If I didn’t have sufficient evidence he (the prosecuting attorney) wouldn’t have taken the case in the first place,” he said. Bosse said he wasn’t even working for American Log Homes during the time Cremer accused him of taking more than $25,000. The letter from his attorney sheds light on why Cremer may have brought the charge against Bosse: “There is a history of contention between Mr. Bosse and Mr. Cremer, which came to a head when civil lawsuits were filed against each other over issues related to their prior business relationship. These civil lawsuits were mutually dismissed, and as a last-ditch effort to damage Mr. Bosse, Clyde Cremer initiated the criminal prosecution against Mr. Bosse knowing that his accusations were false.”
Although the dismissal brings relief for Bosse and his family, not all is well. “My name has been dragged through the mud, and I know it’s damaged my reputation,” said Bosse, who is a self-employed contractor. “The worst thing about this is even though the charge has been dismissed, there will still be doubt in the back of some people’s minds.”
Bosse said he was never asked to resign from the school board or the scout troop he leads, but it was hard having to tell those people about the accusation when it was false. “You still wonder if they think different of you,” he said. Bosse appreciates that the school board and his scout troop stood by him. He said his family is what helped him get through the past five months. It’s been tough on them, too.
The best Bosse can hope for now is that the dismissal of the charge erases any doubt in people’s minds about whether he was guilty. “I care about the community and I hope this clears my name,” he said. “We’ve made a life in Bourbon and I hope that we can continue to live our lives and move on.”
(Jaime Baranyai can be reached at 860-NEWS or by e-mail at
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