Spence charged in BOC office theft

MadisonJournalTODAY

RSS Feed

Email Alerts

Facebook

Melinda Spence

Spence charged in BOC office theft

Posted by

Staff Writer

in News, Top Stories

Friday, December 5. 2008

Comments (29)

Former Madison County deputy clerk Melinda Spence, 40, of 275 Bedford Drive, Hull, was arrested Friday morning for allegedly taking over $80,000 in county funds.

Spence turned herself in to the Madison County Jail Friday and was charged with one count of felony theft by taking.

According to chief deputy Mike Benner of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, she was released on a $88,100 property bond Friday afternoon. The bond was reportedly posted by Randall Smith of Jefferson.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation issued the warrant for her arrest. Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Jim Fullington said Tuesday that the investigation is not closed yet.

“We have to tie up a few loose ends,” Fullington said, adding that the GBI is confident that they have enough evidence to tie Spence to over $80,000 of the missing funds.

Fullington said the county’s audit showed more than $86,000 in county money is missing.

Fullington would not speculate on whether or not there would be any more arrests in the case.

Defined tags for this entry: BOC, News, theft, Top Stories

Related entries by tags:

Trackbacks

Trackback specific URI for this entry

No Trackbacks

Comments

Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)

#1 Anonymous on 12/05/08 at 04:21 PM [Reply]

So, how much time do you think she will get?

#2 businessman on 12/06/08 at 09:00 AM [Reply]

I wonder was this employee under the watch of Morris?That must have been stressful.

#2.1 Anonymous on 12/08/08 at 08:44 AM [Reply]

Didn't his doctor prescribe him something for that?

#3 Concerned Friend on 12/06/08 at 10:06 AM [Reply]

Please remember these folks family before you posted uncalled for remarks.

#3.1 Anonymous on 12/06/08 at 12:07 PM [Reply]

This lady should have thought about that before she stole from the tax payers of Madison County!!!!!

#3.2 Anonymous on 12/06/08 at 04:41 PM [Reply]

If you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen.

#4 Anonymous on 12/06/08 at 12:44 PM [Reply]

She wasn't concerned about our families while she was stealing our money.

#4.1 Anonymous on 12/06/08 at 06:46 PM [Reply]

I whole heart agrre with you, however we shpuld respected her family and not trash her.

#5 Anonymous on 12/06/08 at 04:18 PM [Reply]

Did she have help taking the money or did she have help covering it up? I don't think she was in this alone.

#5.1 Anonymous on 12/07/08 at 07:46 AM [Reply]

I think it all about to come out ! I agree with you, there is know way she could have did this alone.

#6 Anonymous on 12/07/08 at 12:05 PM [Reply]

Melinda is a good person and I think she got caught up in something that she never dreamed would be this big.
Her boss had to know something, how could she cover this up all by herself?
I agree it is about to come out....and I think you will see more than Melinda involved.
I am praying for her and her family because this must be so hard for them especially this time of the year, God Bless her Family!

#7 Madison Couty TaxPayer on 12/08/08 at 07:11 AM [Reply]

I was wondering why they still let her Husband work at the county Jail?
If they put her in he can let her out!!!!!!!!!!!

#7.1 StupidPeople on 12/08/08 at 04:28 PM [Reply]

Her husband had nothing to do with this, why would he not have a job.

#7.1.1 Anonymous on 12/09/08 at 07:07 PM [Reply]

Because it implies that one working in the county jail has some idea of laws and rules. seems to me, her husband might have inquired over time as to the extremely large pay raise his wife seemed to have. A very similar case such as this happened not long ago in a neighboring county. and in the end, they were both found to be guilty.

#7.2 Shh... on 01/12/09 at 06:05 PM [Reply]

You are proof of how ignorant people really are...how sad...

#8 LC on 12/08/08 at 07:31 AM [Reply]

It is sad when a person in her position turns to stealing. I wonder where she or they spent the money? Food, clothes, utilities? Proably none of life's basic essential's. To take that much money took some time, why didn't someone catch this? I blame her for stealing the money and I don't use the word alledgly stealing because I trust the GBI enough to know they must have had enough info to obtain an arrest warrant. I have watched out district commissioners over the past few month struggle with the budget, they have successfully passed a budget that will work. They have avoided any lay-off's, service cut's and above all no tax hikes. This county is set to move forward under a new command in '09. I know new checks and balances will be in place to avoid this humilation in the future, $80,000. would buy a lot of county services that we lost. Will we get the money back when she is found guilty and I know some of you say she may not be guilty, but what are those odd's? '09 should be a great year for our county. I encourage you to get involved by attending BOC meetings instead of sitting on the side line half informed with bad info and complain.

#8.1 Anonymous on 12/09/08 at 01:45 AM [Reply]

Wrong. We got a tax hike. We just got it in the form of high assessments instead of a millage hike. All 5 commissioners should resign. No telling who all was stealing this money...probably all of them and we don't have the time, money or resources to sort it all out. Replace them all and start over.

#9 Anonymous on 12/08/08 at 09:22 AM [Reply]

All the current commissioners should resign. These guys have to be some kind of idiots not to miss $177,000!!!!!

#10 LC on 12/08/08 at 03:59 PM [Reply]

Response to #9. Last time I looked the amount was $111,700 taken from 3 different department's of which one thief is already in jail. This doesn't make it right sure it should have never happened, but these idiot commissioner's as you called them are part-time not supermen. That's why we have a chairman and department heads. Don't you think our chairman should take some of the heat? You want them to resign could you do the job any better? Stop complaining and get involved.

#11 hoodoo on 12/08/08 at 04:01 PM [Reply]

"Melinda is a good person and I think she got caught up in something that she never dreamed would be this big."

Watch the movie "Easy money" for a fun takeoff on this idea.

#11.1 Anonymous on 12/09/08 at 07:03 PM [Reply]

The last I heard, a "good person" is one that does the right thing even when one isnt being watched. In this persons case, she had a choice to make, be a good person, or a bad person. Seems she made her choice. This was tax payers money, for use within the county, not for someones personal gain. We as a people need to stop dismissing bad and inappropriate behavior, saying she is good, when good people really know otherwise

#11.1.1 truth on 12/10/08 at 08:11 PM [Reply]

well, honnestly she was wrong - but, I seriously doub t she acted alone- and, I have news for all of you - if EVERYTHING we ever did wwas exposed- 99.9 % would be in jail for something

#11.1.1.1 Anonymous on 12/12/08 at 06:56 AM [Reply]

Well, you can speak for yourself on this one. I have a hard time pondering the fact that the majority of the citizens in this county would be in jail with simple acts.
Mrs.Spence was wrong, simply said,wrong. Now, she must pay the price. Whether it be in jail, on the side of the road picking up trash, or washing patrol cars.
Her life will be ruined even after this experience is over.

#11.1.2 anonymous--like everyone else! on 12/18/08 at 09:48 PM [Reply]

Just for your information...there are no "Good People" left in this world...some may come close, but we're all human! And for those of you who think Morris Fortson hung the moon...I can't wait until you realize your precious little bubbles are gonna be BUSTED!!!

#12 dawgsfan on 12/11/08 at 09:05 AM [Reply]

If Morris Fortson was the man who was supposedly holding his employees accountable, and he failed in that responsibility, then he should held accountable, as well. Then again, how would someone who makes $500,000 errors three straight years notice a paltry $80,000 or so missing?

#13 Anonymous on 12/18/08 at 02:54 PM [Reply]

How is mr Fortson paying for that big lawer?
is that my money?????????????

#14 Anonymous on 12/19/08 at 01:53 PM [Reply]

Ya darn straight it's your money. He will sue the county for firing him and he will hire that "fancy" lawyer that charges 15K just to retain him and YOU the taxpayer will pick up the tab when he ask for attorneys fees.
This is what is wrong with this system. The BOC would rather pay the court cost and attorney's fees rather than all the dirty laundry come out in open meetings and let them look bad. Ya know what....Morris Fortson knows what their weakest links are..I just hope that the BOC attacks first.

#14.1 Former resident of Madison county on 12/25/08 at 09:22 AM [Reply]

I think we would all be surprised to know what goes on with the BOC. There is a system of checks and balances that should have been followed, and had all of it been done right the missing money would have been found before it was such a large amount. Employee's were accountable to Morris but who was Morris accountable the BOC Chairman and BOC. If the BOC had been minding the checks and balances instead of being petty and childish maybe there would be no need for a tax hike. Everyone is accountable to someone.... Maybe all the ones that were in during all the thefts should be looked at too....
Morris' attorney fees should be his own expense not the counties. He failed to do his job on many occasions but so did many others.

#15 Anonymous on 12/25/08 at 09:14 PM [Reply]

I have said all along that the commissioners should take some responsiblity in these problem areas. Morris Fortson should of been answering to the BOC and he wasn't. The BOC wasn't doing their job by not making him answer their questions.
This whole situation could of been prevented. Now, we as tax payers should be asking the BOC, now what?

Add Comment

Name
Email
Homepage
In reply to
Comment: E-Mail addresses will not be displayed and will only be used for E-Mail notifications.

To prevent automated Bots from commentspamming, please enter the string you see in the image below in the appropriate input box. Your comment will only be submitted if the strings match. Please ensure that your browser supports and accepts cookies, or your comment cannot be verified correctly.

Enter the string from the spam-prevention image above:
Phone*

What is nine minus four?
: Remember Information? Subscribe to this entry
: Submitted comments will be subject to moderation before being displayed.

Community

Madison Community

Spence charged in BOC office theft

MadisonJournalTODAY

Spence charged in BOC office theft

Recent Stories

Recent Comments

Sister Sites

Archives

Community

Keyword Tags