| March 9,
2004 |
| |
| Former
Social Services Employee Indicted |
| |
Nancy K. Epley |
After almost a year long
investigation, a former Burke County Department of Social Services employee has
been indicted on embezzlement charges.
Authorities allege Nancy Kendall
Epley, 60, of 401 Mountain View Avenue, Valdese embezzled approximately $77,829
over a five year period while in charge of the "Work First" program. Sheriff's
detectives began an investigation after an internal audit by D.S.S. revealed
bookkeeping discrepancies. |
|
| D.S.S. officials initially reported the possible
discrepancies to the Sheriff's Office on April 30, 2003, and completed the
internal audit several months later. |
| |
| In addition to the embezzlement charge, Epley
was indicted on March 1st for larceny by employee and felonious accessing of a
computer data base. She turned herself in to Sheriff's Office investigators on
March 8th. |
| |
| Detectives reported that Epley falsified
documents directing the county finance office to issue checks to various
vendors, which included banking institutions, credit card companies,
served-related providers and utility companies. The checks reportedly paid
personal debts incurred by Epley to the vendors. |
| |
| Investigators believe Epley falsified at least
216 checks over a five year period, which included thirteen checks in 1999 for
$3,601.89, forty checks in 2000 totaling $11,981.10, seventy-three checks in
2001 for a total of $24,352.36, sixty-eight checks in 2002 for $29,505.53, and
twenty-two checks in 2003 which totaled $8,385.45. |
| |
| Nancy Epley has accepted full responsibility in
the matter, according to one detective. |
| |
| Epley was released on an unsecured bond of
$10,000. Her case is scheduled for Burke County Superior Court on April
5th. |
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