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Holcomb court clerk sentenced on theft charges
Published 11/9/2012 in Local News : Police
By ANGIE HAFLICHahaflich@gctelegram.com
A Deerfield woman has been sentenced to 12 months probation, with an underlying two-year jail sentence, on two counts of misdemeanor theft, after reaching a plea agreement with the Finney County Attorney's Office on Nov. 1.
Susan Marie Dreiling, 37, 612 Olive St., Deerfield, who was appointed as the city of Holcomb's court clerk in September 2004, was arrested Sept. 20 on an allegation of felony theft.
"She took that money from payments people made to the court for local city ordinance offenses and things like that, and it was investigated by the Finney County Sheriff's Office and Holcomb Police Department. They referred the case to our office, and we charged her with one count of felony theft based on the value of the property she stole," Finney County Prosecutor Brent Watson said.
The initial charge arose from allegations she had stolen $4,500 from the court over an almost eight-month time period from Dec. 2, 2011, to July 31.
Finney County Sheriff Kevin Bascue said Holcomb City Manager Robin Pena reported the theft on Aug. 23, at which point Dreiling was no longer employed with the city.
Because the crime involved a series of thefts over a long period of time rather than one incident, prosecutors agreed to allow Dreiling to plead guilty to two counts of misdemeanor theft, Watson said. Misdemeanor theft is theft of property valued at less than $1,000.
As part of the plea agreement, Dreiling will avoid having to serve any the two-year jail sentence, as long as she doesn't violate the terms of her probation.
"She is required to pay back all of the money she stole within 60 days, and if it's not paid back, her probation will be revoked and she will go to jail," Watson said.
Dreiling did not return a phone call seeking comment.
Found 6 comment(s)!
Exactly write GC advocate!
I chuckled at first thinking how wrong you are GC. Then I realized, you're right! I got a speeding ticket once. I paid a frick'n $70 fine for my crime. Dreiling paid zilch, notta, zippo, just give the money back and everything's peachy. I'm mad because a gov't paid prosecutor won't penalize a gov't paid coworker. They're all on the same team!
Paula is correct too. The sad part is Susan won't be the last to do it either since there is no deterrent for them.
Posted by: Notta Govt. Employee on 11/13/2012
@ Notta Govt. Employee
Ha ha "Notta Govt. Employee...it sounds to me like you committed a crime and got the book thrown at you and you're mad because someone else didn't get it as bad as you did! Sounds like sour grapes!
Posted by: GC Advocate on 11/12/2012
She's not the first....
Susan isn't the first City, County, State or Gov't employee to commit such a crime, but funny how she is the first to warrant an article. She will probably learn more from the public ridicule than the fine/probation. I bet the others won't.
Posted by: Paula on 11/11/2012
Got away with it
It still just blows my mind that nothing is being done to her! This money she stole came from people paying fines for a barking dog, reroofing their house without a permit, jaywalking, just little things like this. But she commits felony theft and not even a fine or jail time? Nothing at all.
Let this be a lesson to the rest of you govt. employees. If you steal from the taxpayers you can keep it if you don't get caught. If you get caught you might have to give it back, no harm no foul.
Posted by: Notta Govt. Employee on 11/11/2012
Embarrassment
Wondering if she will use part of her Holcomb retirement money (part of which is funded by the city of Holcomb)to pay back the money she stole, and if so, that means the city of Holcomb will be footing the bill to pay money that was stolen from them. They should have tossed her in jail to set an example to others thinking about doing the same thing to their employers. I feel sorry for her family; dragging their name thru the mud.
Posted by: Wowza on 11/10/2012
Govt. Employees
Why is it that govt. employees can commit multiple felonies and get slapped on the wrist for it and the rest of us would get 10 years? Say your sorry Susan, that's good enough!!
Posted by: Notta Govt. Employee on 11/9/2012