Jackson Jambalaya

 State Auditor Shad White issued the following statement. 

Today State Auditor Shad White announced that Special Agents from his office have arrested Deborah Harper, former Southeast Greene Water Authority office manager, for allegedly embezzling funds belonging to the water authority for her own personal use.

Harper allegedly received cash payments from new customer water agreement forms and would convert the funds for her own personal use. Additionally, Harper allegedly utilized water user payments from other account holders to satisfy the water debt for both herself and her daughter.

“The dedicated team at the State Auditor’s Office will continue to work closely with prosecutors to get record results, one case at a time,” said State Auditor Shad White.

Harper faces up to $25,000 in fines and up to 10 years in prison if convicted. All persons arrested by the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Suspected fraud can be reported to the Auditor’s office at any time by clicking the red button at www.osa.ms.gov or calling 1-(800) 321-1275 during normal business hours.

Kingfish note: A Greene County grand jury indicted Harper on March 25 for embezzlement. The indictment alleges Harper:

in Greene County, Mississippi, on or between April 1, 2006 and July 9, 2013, did willfully, unlawfully and feloniously embezzle or fraudulently secrete, conceal and convert to her own use money, the property of Southeast Greene Water Authority, which said sum of money had been entrusted to the care and possession of the said Deborah Smith Harper by virtue of her employment with the Southeast Greene Water Authority, and which property had a value of at least Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) but less than Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00), contrary to the form of the statute in such cases made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the State of Mississippi.

Harper's bond was $5,000.