JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – A former Town Clerk of Hickory Flat pled guilty to embezzlement in Benton County Circuit Court.

On Monday, March 20, State Auditor Shad White announced Stephanie Churchill embezzled Hickory Flat Water and Sewage Department funds by not depositing the funds collected from water and sewage bills from October 2018 through February 2021.

Special agents presented a $104,256.92 demand letter to Churchill upon her arrest. White said his office has already recovered $50,000 from a surety bond company and returned it back to Hickory Flat taxpayers. Churchill was ordered to pay $55,850.42 in restitution and other court fees.

Churchill was indicted and arrested for embezzlement in April 2022.

“We will continue to work with prosecutors, who make decisions about when to charge someone with a crime, to achieve results for the taxpayers,” said White. “My office has investigated more than 100 people whom prosecutors have chosen to indict in my time in office, and we will continue to build a track record of being tough on perpetrators.”

A sentencing order has been filed with the Benton Circuit Clerk’s Office for public inspection.