Sheriff's Office Employee Found Guilty On Fraud Charges

HELP SOMEONE CALL THE POLICE. OR MAYBE WE SHOULD CALL THE CROOKS IT SEEMS SOME OF THEM HAVE BETTER MORALS THAN THE SHERIFF.

The Florida Times-Union
July 20, 2007
Camden worker's troubles deepen

By Gordon Jackson, The Times-Union

WOODBINE - The financial problems for Gina Evanson, the purchasing agent for the Camden County Sheriff's Office, continue to mount.
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Evanson was found guilty of a misdemeanor charge of account fraud on Tuesday for writing a bad check for $72.78 to a St. Marys bakery, according to documents from Camden County Magistrate Court.
She is also facing prosecution for nonpayment of a loan to Lendmark Financial Services, according to court documents. In the complaint filed against her, Evanson is accused of not paying a debt of $786.09.
Combined with court costs, Evanson was given 45 days on June 14 to pay $853.09. Court officials said Thursday she has not responded to the complaint.
If she does not respond by July 30, Lendmark is expected to file a civil suit against Evanson and her wages or bank account could be garnisheed until the debt is repaid, according to court officials.
Last week, the Times-Union reported Evanson used a county credit card to buy $893.49 in Christmas gifts such as a trampoline, DVD player, toys and a TV at a Wal-Mart store in St. Marys.
After she was confronted about the purchases, Evanson told officials in the county finance department she mistakenly used the county credit card and had already written a personal check directly to Wal-Mart to repay the money.
But Mike Fender, director of the county's finance department, said the county account still hadn't been credited for the items.
County Commissioner Steve Berry expressed dismay about the latest news about Evanson's financial problems.
"There is no question this person should not be in charge of purchasing, period," he said. "This person is in charge of purchasing for the largest budget in the county. The sheriff's failure to deal with this is another example of his waste and abuse."
Sheriff's Office spokesman Lt. William Terrell declined to comment. There was also no response to a request for an interview with Evanson.
Berry said he planned to urge fellow commissioners to take action if Evanson does not repay the money owed the county before the next scheduled meeting on Aug. 7.
"If this is not paid by the next commission meeting, I intend to get an item on the agenda to call for her prosecution for theft," Berry said. "By then, it would have been eight months, more than enough time to clear this up."
Commission Chairman Preston Rhodes said he was unaware of Evanson's other financial problems. Rhodes said he talked to Berry about his plans to call for Evanson's prosecution.
Rhodes said he has asked county officials to separate "facts from emotions" to determine if and why the debt hasn't been repaid.

gordon.jackson@jacksonville.com,
(912) 729-3672

TRSP Review:
This is 100% bull crap. Why are we allowing this to happen? If she used the wrong credit card, why did she not use the correct card to fix the problem. This woman had no intention of paying for this and should be FIRED.

Bill Smith DO YOUR JOB

I THINK THIS WOMAN WAS HIRED UNDER THE SMITH-SEARS FRIENDS AND FAMILY ACT OF 2004.