Investigators from the state attorney general’s office arrested former Kenton town treasurer Stephanie Mickle Wednesday, Sept. 8 following their investigation into charges she misappropriated between $188,000 and $200,000 in town funds.
The case was investigated by the Fraud and Consumer Protection Division following an early June 2010 referral by the state auditor, which had conducted an audit at the request of Kenton town officials.
The agencies’ investigations revealed Mickle represented herself as town manager with forged town council meeting documents, sold the town’s cell phone tower easement and then accessed those funds for personal use, said Department of Justice spokesman Jason Miller.
Investigators also learned that from 2008 to 2010, Mickle allegedly made approximately 900 fraudulent financial transactions. Mickle allegedly used debit cards, checks, computer transactions and electronic transfers to pay personal expenses, including previous court-ordered restitution.
Mickle was charged with three counts of theft over $50,000 and two counts of second-degree forgery. She was arraigned by videophone at Justice of the Peace Court 2 and committed to the Delores J. Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution in default of a $63,000 secured bond to await another court appearance.
