With retirement account drained, city wants suspended sentence tossed:
McComb officials are asking a circuit court judge to toss the suspended sentence he handed down to former city court clerk Greta Stewart Patterson, who was convicted of embezzling money from the city, after they learned she reportedly drained her state retirement account.
“In this case we are asking the court to suspend this action due to some misrepresentation on behalf of the defendant,” Mayor Whitney Rawlings said. “We are also asking the city attorney to investigate other circumstances that will help us try to recover some of this money.”
On Dec. 14, Patterson pleaded guilty to embezzling $84,000 from the city’s municipal court accounts. City officials suspect the theft could involve as much as $1 million.
Judge David Strong gave her a 10-year sentence, eight years suspended, and two to serve on house arrest, and ordered her to pay a $200 fine.
She faces a hearing on Feb. 3 before Strong to determine exactly how much restitution she owes to the city.
After an hour and 10 minute executive session Tuesday, city selectmen authorized Dowdy to ask Strong to vacate Patterson’s suspended sentence.
The board also approved a motion that directs Dowdy to look into how much money was stolen in the case and identify “other circumstances which may allow the city to file litigation seeking to recover the amount embezzled.”
“This is a motion to bring to the court’s attention facts about the embezzlement case that they did not have at the time of sentencing,” Dowdy said. “Her suspended sentence was given based on the fact that she would pay the city back through her (Public Employee Retirement System) fund, but she drained that account within days of being fired.”
The city fired Patterson on Feb. 12 after an audit revealed the theft in the court system.
Rawlings has said the city was left out of any proceedings or hearings related to the case against Patterson.
Rawlings told the Enterprise-Journal last week that he received a phone call from the District Attorney’s office on the afternoon of Dec. 10. Patterson was sentenced Dec. 14.
The mayor said DA Dee Bates told him he would be bringing Patterson’s case before Strong.
Patterson waived her right for the case to go before a grand jury and pleaded guilty without being indicted.
Meanwhile, the mayor said the investigation of missing funds is being conducted by city finance director Janice Dillon, who has so far found more than $1 million in discrepancies.
“This is a motion to bring to the court’s attention facts about the embezzlement case that they did not have at the time of sentencing,” Dowdy said. “Her suspended sentence was given based on the fact that she would pay the city back through her (Public Employee Retirement System) fund, but she drained that account within days of being fired.”
The city fired Patterson on Feb. 12 after an audit revealed the theft in the court system.
Rawlings has said the city was left out of any proceedings or hearings related to the case against Patterson.
Rawlings told the Enterprise-Journal last week that he received a phone call from the District Attorney’s office on the afternoon of Dec. 10. Patterson was sentenced Dec. 14.
The mayor said DA Dee Bates told him he would be bringing Patterson’s case before Strong.
Patterson waived her right for the case to go before a grand jury and pleaded guilty without being indicted.
Meanwhile, the mayor said the investigation of missing funds is being conducted by city finance director Janice Dillon, who has so far found more than $1 million in discrepancies.
