News Headlines

Source: Messenger, Madisonville, March 11, 2010

Ex-school worker indicted in theft case

By Erin Schmitt

DIXON — A former Webster County Schools employee has been indicted on 23 counts of theft by deception, accused of charging more than $18,000 in personal items to the school’s account.

A Webster County grand jury indicted Shanda L. Townsend, 51, of Slaughters, Tuesday for allegedly buying personal items from Lowe’s and charging them to the Webster County Board of Education’s account.

These incidents are alleged to have occurred between Nov. 30, 2007 and Sept. 30, 2009, for items over $500 each time, making each count a felony.

Before being terminated from her job in January, Townsend was employed as a secretary for the district’s maintenance department, according to Superintendent Dr. James Kemp. She was also a bus driver and trainer.

Shortly before Townsend was fired, the school district’s treasurer, Jackie Miles, was looking over the school district’s bills and noticed a discrepancy in purchases made by the maintenance division, Kemp said.

Items had been purchased from Lowe’s that had not been approved by the school board, he said. The items totaled $18,330.

The Webster County Sheriff’s Department was contacted on Jan. 13 and an investigation was launched into the matter.

Townsend was charged on. Jan. 21 with 23 counts of theft by deception. She was taken to the Webster County Jail where she was released on 10 percent of a $10,000 bond the next day.

She is due in Webster Circuit Court on April 13 for a pretrial conference. Townsend is represented by Thresa Hinton of Madisonville.