Published: August 11, 2009 11:40 am         

Turpin indicted by local grand jury

Monticello — Following an eight-month investigation by the Kentucky Attorney General

and Kentucky State Police, a four-count felony indictment was returned last

week against Wayne County Clerk Melissa Turpin.

The Wayne County Grand Jury met in special session on Friday, August 7

and returned the indictment against Turpin.

Turpin was indicted on two counts of abuse of public trust over $10,000

but less than $100,000 and two counts of theft by unlawful taking over $300.

One set of charges stemmed from the approximate $87,000 deficit that the

State Auditor's Office alleges occurred in 2007.

The second set of charges stem from a $52,000 deficit that auditors say

they found in the fee account in 2008.

On Friday, grand jurors heard testimony from Kentucky State Police

Detective Jim Whitaker.

Shortly after the indictment was returned, an arrest warrant was

executed and Turpin was taken to the Wayne County Detention Center.

She was released on a $100,000 property bond at approximately 12:30 p.m.

Friday, according to information from the Wayne Circuit Clerk's Office.

Arraignment for Turpin is set for Tuesday, August 18 at 9 a.m. in Wayne

Circuit Court.

Theft by unlawful taking over $300 is a Class D felony, with a possible

sentence of one to five years. Abuse of a public trust between $10,000 and

$100,000 is a Class C felony and can carry a sentence of five to 10 years.

State Auditor Crit Luallen referred findings from the Wayne County

Clerk's 2007 audit to the State Attorney General's Office in December 2008.

Auditors allege that the clerk's office had undeposited receipts in 2007

of $87,056.

The 2008 audit was released last month and referred a $52,930 deficit to

the Attorney General's Office. Auditors said that $31,730 had not been

deposited into the 2008 fee account.

They also found $21,200 in disallowed expenditures for office renovation

and cleaning, including $12,650 Turpin paid her husband in 2008.

Auditors said that the expenditures were not properly documented.

     

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.