JACKSON – A former Jackson County clerk has been arrested and indicted for allegedly embezzling more than $890,000 from the county. Ginger Lashley, 50, had been an employee of Jackson County since 1998, and most recently worked as an accounts payable clerk.
State auditor Stacey Pickering said Lashley, while working as the utilities payable clerk for Jackson County, repeatedly deposited checks made payable to Jackson County into a personal savings account listed under the name Jackson County Food Drive.
“This case was brought to our attention by the Sheriff’s Office in Jackson County and is one of the largest embezzlement cases we have investigated in the state auditor’s office,” said Pickering. “It represents a significant loss to the taxpayers of Jackson County.”
Lashley was terminated from her position with Jackson County on Nov. 9, 2009, and she was arrested by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department following her termination.
“This arrest and indictment goes to show that we will not tolerate anyone who is holding a position of trust in our county government or elsewhere taking money or other assets from the county itself,” said Jackson County Sheriff Mike Byrd. “We did not tolerate it from the previous administration which had an employee who stole thousands of dollars from the sheriff’s office, and we certainly will not tolerate it from an employee of the finance department.”
The state auditor’s office has since filed a $1,232,579,73 demand against Lashley and her bonding company to recoup the funds embezzled.
“I appreciate the diligence and cooperation of the state auditor’s office in investigating the case and bringing it before the Jackson County Grand Jury,” said District Attorney Tony Lawrence. “Under the law, the citizens of Jackson County have a right to expect that their money is being handled properly and all is accounted for. Now that the indictment has been served, the case will be set on the trial docket and we will move forward towards a trial.”
Lashley’s bond was set at $30,000 which she posted and was released.
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