Dills pleads guilty

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Friday, July 17. 2009

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Danielsville officials heard recently that former city clerk Michelle Dills has pled guilty to a single count of felony theft by taking.

City attorney Victor Johnson informed the council of the plea, which occurred Monday, June 29. The guilty plea does not contain a plea deal, Johnson said. A pre-sentencing investigation is being conducted by the district attorney’s office with sentencing for Dills expected in the next couple of months.

A GBI investigation found that Dills took $196,000 from city accounts over a five-year period while she worked as city clerk. Dills was fired from her long-time position as city clerk last September after the missing funds were discovered by city auditors.

In a related matter, councilwoman Junne Temple said she was pleased to note that the Internal Revenue Service will refund $11,235 of a $32,193 penalty imposed on the city for nonpayment of payroll taxes during all of 2007 and the first two quarters of 2008.The refund amounts to the penalties imposed on the first two quarters of 2007. The IRS noted that the penalties were abated as a “first time occurrence” but that the remaining four quarters of penalties would stand, due to a lack of “internal controls” by the city, which the IRS maintained should have caught the embezzlement within the first six months of its occurrence.

The council noted that such internal controls are now in place.

City clerk Connie Riley said the refund would go as a repayment to the city’s general liability insurance company, since the penalties were part of the city’s insurance claim.

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#1 Madison County Resident on 07/17/09 at 03:25 PM [Reply]

See she pled guilty to one count of felony theft by taking but they say she took $196,000 over a 5 year period. She said she didn't take that much and I believe her. Someone else also had their hand in the cookie jar too but decided to let her take the fall for the whole thing. I do agree with the IRS though The city should have caught this in the first 6 months but they let this rock on for 5 years. Somebody knew something but yet they did nothing for 4 and a half years? Something stinks here and it's not just her?

#1.1 John on 07/17/09 at 08:24 PM [Reply]

You're an idiot.

#1.1.1 Madison County Resident on 07/18/09 at 02:51 PM [Reply]

What's wrong John you don't agree with what I said? Or was you getting some of the money too?
One more thing.I didn't think I needed to repeat this but I guess I do: This section is for opinions my opinion may not be the same as yours? That's what makes us different it don't make you or I an idiot?

#1.1.1.1 Anonymous on 07/19/09 at 01:38 PM [Reply]

She should get one year of prison for every $10,000 she STOLE FROM US for a total of 19 years and 6 months.

She should have to pay back all the money through whatever property forfeitures necessary, plus penalties and interest PLUS punitive damages.

#1.1.1.1.1 Madison County Resident on 07/20/09 at 12:57 PM [Reply]

Anonymous why don't we just take her out back of the court house and stone her while we are at it? 19 years and 6 months be real I know people who have killed people and they didn't get that much time?
If you kill someone and when you come up for parole in 7 years if you've been good you may get out.

#2 colbertcitizen on 07/17/09 at 05:10 PM [Reply]

surely she isn't taking the fall for someone she knows. she was always such a nice young lady in school, i never would of thought that, but i quess you don't know people as well as you think you do. she is in my prayers, and i agree it should of been caught right away.

#2.1 Madison County Resident on 07/18/09 at 04:11 PM [Reply]

Ok colbertcitizen I didn't say she was taking the fall willingly but look at it like this. If she were to say her boss took the money or was in on it? The boss would say she was just trying to cover it up and put the blame on someone else and be honest who would have believed her? Face it if it was someone else taking the money it may stop for a while but when they get someone else in that office that they can put the blame on it will start all over again?
I would fire whoever was in charge of book keeping that let this go on so long. You know they could be the one responsible for taking this money? What better way to cover it up than to make it look like someone else did it and they have access to all the books so they can doctor them to look like they want them too. This was in no way meant to attack you colbertcitizen or say you are dumb or an idiot this is just my opinion and how I see it.

#2.1.1 Anonymous on 07/21/09 at 08:37 PM [Reply]

Yes, it should have been caught years ago but it wasn't, so this is the result that needs to be dealt with. The mayor & council members trusted Ms. Dills too much.
You obviously haven't taken the time to find out how the CITY government works, who holds what position/responsibility or how many people work in city hall. The book keeper you're certain had a hand in it was yours truely,Ms. Dills! Have you read the article that disclosed the GBI findings? She wrote herself extra paychecks, she was in charge of payroll & the mail, presented the budget, checks & balances, the info that was given to the auditors. Yes,if the GBI found errors the auditing co.repeatedly failed to catch things.
Get informed next time please.

#2.1.1.1 Madison County Resident on 07/22/09 at 11:30 PM [Reply]

Who was the idiot that gave her that much power?? To have a check book that she could write and sign checks when she wanted. That's why all goverment checks should have to have 2 people sign them that way when this happens again they can hang both people who signed the checks. First thing I would do would be to fire the auditing company for not catching this sooner?

#3 Anonymous on 07/18/09 at 08:20 AM [Reply]

I wonder what her sentencing will be considering she is already paying restitution?

#3.1 Madison County Resident on 07/18/09 at 02:41 PM [Reply]

Her sentencing will probably be some jail time or probation and I wonder if she will have to pay the whole 196,000 back for her restitution? But I agree with the IRS this should have been caught in the first couple months not 5 years later. Who ever she answers to was either in on it or asleep. The book keeper must have been asleep too.
I mean you may get a little and get away with it but what fool would keep on for 5 years and it was almost $200,000.

#3.2 colbertcitizen on 07/18/09 at 03:35 PM [Reply]

she will probally do some time considering the other lady who took $33,000 got what 3 years and 8 years probation. michelle comes from such a nice family, but no one really knows anybody, it probally just got harder to quit once she got started taking the money, and then BAM her luck ran out, like wise i also think someone else was probally doing it too.

#3.2.1 Madison County Resident on 07/19/09 at 02:27 PM [Reply]

Yes colbertcitizen but somewhere between 1 dollar and 196,000 dollars you would realize hey I had better stop or I am going to get caught. And you know the other person who was taking money is not going to admit it now. They figure she is already going down for it so let her pay for it.
Look at it this way To take that much money there had to be more than just her involved? And the other stupid part of this whole story is that SOMEBODY let this go on for 5 years? They don't check the book keeping records every couple months? It looks to me like they would at least catch it at the end of the year? I figure at the end of the year they would go over the records to make sure everything was in order, so I would fire the book keeper in charge of keeping the books that contained those records. Or that book keeper was involved?

#4 Anonymous on 07/19/09 at 08:35 AM [Reply]

I wish the best for her. She might have had her hand in the cookie jar, but I don't think she took it all by herself. Even if she did, I'm more upset with the fact that it could happen for 5 years without anybody noticing.

#4.1 Madison County Resident on 07/19/09 at 02:06 PM [Reply]

AMEN Anonymous that's what I have been saying all along. I mean if you see everyone else taking money and they don't get caught wouldn't you be more willing to take some too? I'm not saying she didn't take any because she probably did BUT I don't think she got it all that's $196,000. it's not easy to hide that much money. I think they need to look at everyone else in that office?

#5 Anonymous on 07/19/09 at 09:33 PM [Reply]

this falls back to the city counsel and mayor not keeping up with things she took it all no one waschecking up on her just ask the GBI she should get the max her over her head lifestyle came back to BITE her BIGTIME maybe jailtime will help her

#5.1 Madison County Resident on 07/20/09 at 12:49 PM [Reply]

Yes they should check into the city counsel and the mayor But what I am saying if someone on the city counsel was taking the money they could fix the paper trail to lead back to her? This isn't the first time money has took missing in the city goverment and it won't be the last? You can mark my words. They need to fire everyone that works for the Danielsville Goverment and hire all new people.

#6 Anonymous on 07/20/09 at 10:22 AM [Reply]

Unless people actually physically saw her take it then NO ONE can say for sure that she took it all. Yes I do think she took some but NO WAY all of it. I think there we probably a few hands involved and she's got the wrap for it all. People are so quick to point fingers without all the facts.....don't get me wrong....yes she's guilty. But everyone up there in GUILTY for letting it go on this LONG....they all need to be charged in some way or another!!

#6.1 Madison County Resident on 07/20/09 at 05:55 PM [Reply]

Anonymous that's what I was saying. If no one physically saw her take it who's to say she got it all and I believe she took some of it but I don't think she got it all? These people that worked in the same office that were so quick to point fingers may have had their hands in the cookie jar too? Now that she is taking the wrap for it they are going to let her. And they ain't about to admit it now.

#7 Anonymous on 07/20/09 at 01:04 PM [Reply]

Maybe grammatical sentence structure would help you?

#7.1 Madison County Resident on 07/21/09 at 12:08 AM [Reply]

Hey Joe,Ted,Bob,or Dick Anonymous WHO said every post had to be perfect? With perfect spelling and sentence structure who died and made you the online editor? As long as people understand what you are talking about why does it matter?

#7.2 Anonymous on 07/22/09 at 03:08 PM [Reply]

i posted #5 grammer has nothing to do stealing money so go teach english and while your at it teach Mrs Dills law and ETHICS PREACH TOO SOMEONE WHO REALLY NEEDS IT

#7.2.1 Madison County Resident on 07/22/09 at 03:58 PM [Reply]

Well this is not directed just at Anonymous #7.2 but at everyone who reads it: We all(every human being) needs some preaching to and by the way you made a boo boo you forgot WITH between do and stealing.

#7.2.2 Anonymous on 07/23/09 at 10:09 AM [Reply]

Am I am the one who posted about your sentence structure. There is nothing wrong with the content just learn how to use comma's so we can understand what you are saying.

#7.2.2.1 Madison County Resident on 07/24/09 at 11:02 AM [Reply]

Anonymous I don't know if you are the one who posted about my sentence structure or not? Nobody knows because you post under Anonymous and that could be anybody?

#8 Anonymous on 07/21/09 at 11:40 AM [Reply]

I think the previous post detailing grammatical sentence structure was pertaining to #5 not you. As much as you post on this site, you surely have enough practice and known knowledge not to be rediculed.

#8.1 Madison County Resident on 07/21/09 at 02:13 PM [Reply]

Oh so sorry I just thought you wanted to jump on the band wagon of the people who don't like me Madison County Resident.BUT it's bad because no matter what the story is about it always seems to turn to grammatical semtence structure,spelling mistakes, lack of education? It don't matter how you spell it or how you word it as long as you get your point across? Alot of people know what they want to say but have a problem writing or typing it out. They are no less of a citizen than you or I are. It takes all kinds of people to make up this rock we call Earth so if you know what they mean JUST LET IT GO.

#9 MC Taxpayor on 07/21/09 at 04:04 PM [Reply]

5 + yrs jail time my view. If she can not pay back money now would if possible legally take her property such as home if she has one. My view. Monies taken paid by hard working people.

#10 concerned on 07/22/09 at 07:43 PM [Reply]

MC Taxpayer......WHAT???????

#11 WTH on 07/22/09 at 07:46 PM [Reply]

Hello Hello um um we are talking about Dills not GRAMMAR. Stupid people comments stupid stuff on here. GROW UP KIDS

#11.1 Madison County Resident on 07/23/09 at 10:16 PM [Reply]

WTH I have said them before but I guess I need to say it again? As long as you know what the person means why does it have to be perfect? I think these people who want to correct everyone else are old time nerds who were teachers pets in school because they told on everyone else? Then we beat them up? Or they know the mistakes because they made the same ones in school and failed that class? Or they didn't get enough love as a child? I think it is because they were nerds that couldn't get a date in school so they had no choice but to study? You know the kind they went to the prom with their cousins?

#12 MC resident on 07/30/09 at 03:22 PM [Reply]

If you have seen the house and the clothes her family wears you would know where your money went.The husband isn't making that much money at a beer store. I don't think anyone else had a thing to do with it.

#12.1 Madison County Resident on 07/30/09 at 09:00 PM [Reply]

Well MC resident I don't know her or her family or their lifestyle but $196,000 is alot of money and I was just saying they need to keep looking because any fool should know if you take a couple thousand dollars they may not catch it because you can hide that much but almost $200,000 any fool knows they going to catch that much?

#13 Ron Faust on 12/26/10 at 10:38 PM [Reply]

Bottom line:Any and all officials with the city are ultimately responcible for this loss.But,The city clerk is the only one that sees everything that moves across the table.If she wasn't doing it,she should have atleast caught it.The council did nothing more than approve to carry over the previous years budget time and time again.There was not anywhere near enough break down of distribution of funds.It is close to impossible to tell where the money went.I expect (possibly) much more money evaporated than we know.It appears that over 200'000 in the city coffers in the last 10? or so years is also unaccounted for.I expect that whenever the budget fell short,it was just moved into the general fund to cover it.The water department has been running at a loss for nearly that long as well.The money had to come from somewhere.As there was no verification of a paper trail at all by anyone on the council,we may never know.

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