Former DeGraff utility clerk faces 5 felony charges

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DEGRAFF – A former DeGraff utility clerk was arrested and charged with five felonies on allegations she misappropriated more than $150,000 in cash utility payments from village residents.

Jennifer Dearwester, 48, faces three counts of tampering with records, one count of aggravated theft and one count of theft in office – all of which are third degree felonies. She was indicted Friday afternoon in the Logan County Common Pleas Court following an investigation by Auditor of State Keith Faber’s Special Investigations Unit.

Dearwester was the Village of DeGraff’s utility clerk from September 2006 to March 2018. She is accused of misappropriating cash utility payments from village residents and tampering with information in the village utility system between January 2014 and March 2018.

The Village of DeGraff is thought to have lost more than $150,000, according to the state auditor.

“Our Special Investigations Unit is a group of law enforcement professionals dedicated to rooting out fraud, waste, and abuse in government,” Faber said in a press release. “Thanks to their hard work, Ohioans everywhere can rest assured knowing someone is looking out for their hard earned tax dollars.”

A jury trial has been scheduled for June 18. A final pretrial hearing is scheduled for June 1.

Dearwester
https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2020/02/web1_Jennifer-Dearwester-1.jpgDearwester

By Kyle Shaner

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Reach this writer at [email protected] or 937-538-4824.

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