JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The former clerk for a north Mississippi town was arrested Tuesday on a charge of embezzlement.
A Benton County grand jury indicted Stephanie Churchill, who served as town clerk for Hickory Flat in Benton Count, for not depositing funds collected from water and sewage bills from October 2018 through February 2021.
“This is, once again, another case where money intended to pay for water in a small town was embezzled. It resulted in a big loss for the people of Hickory Flat,” said Auditor Shad White in a news release. “My office investigates these matters, identifying the facts, but we only make arrests when prosecutors choose to charge someone. We cannot make that choice for them. We also do not control sentences. Courts do that. But when we all work together, taxpayers see results, like in this case.”
White's office also gave Churchill a $104,256 demand letter upon her arrest. The demand amount includes interest and investigative costs.
If convicted, Churchill would face up to 20 years in prison and $25,000 in fines.
Bond information and whether Churchill has an attorney was not immediately available.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
