Ada —
Roff Town Secretary Connie Hilburn has officially been charged with embezzlement and will make her second court appearance on July 11.
A plea of not guilty was entered on her behalf by Pontotoc District Court officials and she was released on her own recognizance. An attorney of record representing Hilburn is not listed in court documents.
Hilburn, 63, is alleged to have absconded with approximately $1,000 cash from water bills paid by Roff residents between July and August 2011. A total of over $4,000 is missing, but of that total only $1,000 was paid in cash. The remainder represents checks or money orders, officials said. No one has attempted to cash the checks and none have ever been presented to area banks for processing.
In court affidavits filed Monday, county sheriff’s officials said Hilburn noticed money missing in July and reported it to city council member Brent Crawford but not action was taken on the matter.
Hilburn again noticed funds missing in August. This time, she alerted the entire city council. In a letter to council members, Hilburn offers to take out a personal loan to cover the city’s loss, the affidavit states.
Hilburn took responsibility for the missing funds and told investigators she was the sole recipient of Roff Water Department bill collections.
She contends she made a deposit of the proceeds at Oklahoma Heritage Bank branch office. Banking officials contend a deposit was not among the receipts handle that day and the bank further contends it has never lost a deposit, the affidavit states.
The charge is punishable by up to five years in prison, a $5,000 fine and restitution to the victim, according to court documents.
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