Former Scarville city clerk Jolene June Carter, who issued over $8,000 in checks to herself while participating in the theft of city funds totaling over $37,000 with former Scarville Mayor Michelle Hermanson has been found guilty of contempt of court and received an additional 4 days in jail.
Originally Mayor Michelle Hermanson contacted the state auditor’s office after a new city clerk questioned some spending by former city clerk Jolene Carter. The state auditor’s office found that not only had Jolene Carter been embezzling funds for personal use, the Mayor Michelle Hermanson was also embezzling funds for herself.
Both received plea bargains resulting in probation and suspended prison sentences and were ordered to repay a portion close to $20,000 not covered by insurance, and serve 30 days in the county jail.
Jolene Carter was ordered to serve 4 years of probation for a Class C felony count of 1st Degree Theft and an aggravated misdemeanor count of Tampering with Records. According to court records 42 days into Carter’s 4 years of probation the Iowa Department of Corrections issued a probation violation report and the Winnebago County Attorney motioned the courts to revoke her probation.
Unlike most criminal offenders that are required to sit in jail or post bond pending the outcome of the probation revocation hearing, Jolene Carter was not required to do either.
At the probation revocation hearing presiding District Court Judge, DeDra L. Schroeder ruled not to revoke Carter’s probation and impose her 5 year suspended prison sentence. Instead Judge Schroeder found Carter guilty in another voluntary guilty plea to a lessor contempt of court charge, sentencing Carter to an additional 4 days in jail.
Court records at this time also do not show a return of mittimus from any local county sheriff departments crediting Carter with serving her original 30 day sentence.
Hermanson served less than her original 30 days in Cerro Gordo County Jail starting January 22nd with a release date of February 15th.
Carter and Hermanson have been ordered to jointly pay back $20842.26 in city funds stolen from the 72 residents of Scarville. Between the two, to date $204.16 or less than 1 percent has been repaid.
I got an idea, seize her home and sell it at auction to get the money back. Bet others take note and stop being thieves.
Be careful whom you vote into office! I’m sure it’s hard to find anyone willing to serve in a town that small, but they need to hire a CPA to audit the books monthly.