A former state employee in Iowa has been charged with theft and criminal conduct.
On Wednesday, October 15, 2014 Jessica Strasser turned herself in at the Mahaska County Jail in Oskaloosa, Iowa, according to a statement from the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture requested an investigation regarding the use of funds in the Mahaska County Soil and Water Conservation District.
On October 1, 2014 a report on the investigation was released. Findings showed that from March 2006 to August of 2013, more than $279,000 of improper disbursements and un-deposited collections had been found. More than $241,000 worth of improper disbursements were withdrawn from the District’s accounts, according to the Department of Public Safety.
“Strasser’s name was on documentation as the individual who withdrew the cash,” said a spokesperson from the Department of Public Safety. “Strasser was the Secretary for the District.”
In August of 2013 Strasser resigned from the Iowa Department of Agriculture, the Department of Public Safety said.