Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 17, 1990 TAG: 9005170189
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: VICTORIA RATCLIFF STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Short
According to a plea agreement, Judy Camille Pierce, 46, of Route 1, New Castle, will serve 10 days in jail for writing checks on the McCleary school account to pay credit-card companies to whom she owed money.
In addition to three felony embezzlement charges for three checks written for $624 each, Pierce was indicted for writing four more checks on the account. Each of those checks was for less than $200.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Craig County Commonwealth's Attorney Thaddeus Cox agreed to ask the court to drop two of those charges and reduce the other two to misdemeanor petty larceny charges.
Circuit Judge George Honts accepted the plea agreement, sentencing Pierce to two years in prison for each embezzlement charge and 60 days for each misdemeanor, but suspended all but 10 days.
Cox said he agreed to the sentence because Pierce had no previous criminal record and had paid restitution before her trial.
A December audit indicated there were financial irregularities in the school account, and Craig County Superintendent of Schools M. Dallas Helems Jr. called the state police in early January to report the irregularities and request an investigation.
Pierce resigned from her job while the investigation was being conducted, and Cox has said she cooperated with authorities.
Each of the felony charges carried a maximum sentence of 10 years.
Pierce came to Craig County last year from the Galax city school system, where she was an assistant superintendent of schools.
by CNB