State Auditor Shadrack White issued the following statement.
Today State Auditor Shad White announced former District Secretary for the Holmes County Water and Soil Conservation District Melissa Upchurch has pled guilty to Embezzlement. Upchurch was arrested by agents in June 2023 and was served with a $48,160.08 demand letter.
Upchurch is guilty of issuing and then depositing district checks into her bank account from June 2020 to September 2022.
“Thank you to the investigators who worked this matter,” said State Auditor Shad White. “We’ve now recovered more taxpayer money in the last five years than any other five-year period in the history of the office, and we’re not stopping.”
Upchurch was sentenced by the Holmes County Circuit Court to 5 years of house arrest, 5 years of supervised probation, followed by 5 years of unsupervised probation, and ordered to pay restitution and fines.
Heeeeeeelllllp!!! |
Suspected fraud can be reported to the Auditor’s office online at any time by clicking the red button at www.osa.ms.gov or via telephone during normal business hours at 1-(800)-321-1275.
40 comments:
She may not have five years to live.
Kingfish = Shad dickrider
She didn't spend it on Botox!
Trying not to beat a dead horse, but when is Shad going after the "bigger fish". While his attempts to recover money is admirable, he is literally picking on the "small fry" and letting the real money walk away.
did she spend it all on meth?
Attn. 11:22 AM. Please share your list of “bigger fish” with those of us who are less informed.
Ditto @11:22 AM! IMO, he'll never going after his "own kind."
$48,000. No jail time.
If Shad asked my advice (& he hasn't), I would cool it with these small fry announcements and just do these after you have 4-5 of them.)
More importantly, while these need to be prosecuted, EVERYONE is aware that there really are bigger corruption cases all over the place. The big ones are typically for the politically connected crowd & carry some political risk, though, but the State Auditor should take that as motivation to do them anyway unless he is too focused on his next job. The public would love a big fish at least once on these.
Silbrina Wright of the (now defunct) Greater Jackson Arts Council will be next. The wheels of justice turn slowly, but they be turnin’!
11:54
I hope you're right. It won't be no $ 48,000.00 with her. Probably more like $ 480,000.00
Old lady in the sticks. Knew it before I even opened the post.
He got granny! Nothing on Deputy Fell, or Jxn and Canton city gub'mint though....
Can he come after her while she is on sabbatical? LOL
It amazes me how it seems corruption only exists in small city and county water departments.
"Upchurch is guilty of issuing and then depositing district checks into her bank account"
Well, duh.
I would appreciate some clarity on the anti-Shad posts. I thought the feds asked Shad to turn over his files in the TANF debacle and Shad complied. When the feds assert jurisdiction, the state officials cannot interfere. Yes, the state can also prosecute simultaneously but I think it is common for the DA and AG's office to step aside and let the feds handle the prosecution.
The repeated comments about not going after the big fish seem misplaced. What am I missing? Snarky comments aside, please.
RMQ
I think shadrack has a thing for old, wrinkly ladies
Yep 48,000 instead of millions sure put a big target on her back
There is a whole lot more corruption in Holmes County than this trivial collar. Sad thing is it’s the best that can be achieved these days.
I hope it's not too late to include this in his exciting new book coming out soon. Or, maybe he can start on his sequel, How I Got Granny: Don't Embezzle It All In One Place!
She only took $34,000, and that was to keep up the payments on her single-wide in Lexington.
She is 59 years old! Looks to be about 85. Meth?
For all you posters commenting on her age she is in her 50’s. Looks way older than she is.
To all of you that are obsessed with Shad not going after the "bigger fish" - pick up your cellular devise and make a call and ask him. His office number is 601-576-2800. Or if you prefer, his office website is osa.state.ms.us. Let us know what he says. As for all these "big fish" he's allegedly not going after, give us some specifics and tell us what makes you think he is not pursuing them. I'm not saying you're wrong, but if you have no proof - your diatribe has gotten old.
I just wish he would or someone would put this issue with Favre, Bryant, New, Davis, DeBiase and many others on the front burner and get this over with. The money was to take care of children. Remember. A child cannot choose who their parents are and they are helpless. I wonder how many go to bed hungry. That’s what hurts me.
Shad has some demand letters floating around all over the state. When will he release all of it?
When is he going to take down Chokwe
11:09 for the win.
"Shad Racks" Bwa ha ha.
2:38 PM, even a dumb, bad investigator could find something on COJ. Clearly money has changed hands with COJ and Richard's.
It looks like she did the district a favor. Where else were they going to make 10% APR on their money?
If a person goes by what the people who Shad is catching look in their mugshots like then most likely all the sharp dressed guys probably FEEL like they have nothing to worry about!
I just wish he would or someone would put this issue with Favre, Bryant, New, Davis, DeBiase and many others on the front burner and get this over with. The money was to take care of children. Remember. A child cannot choose who their parents are and they are helpless. I wonder how many go to bed hungry. That’s what hurts me.
March 14, 2024 at 2:55 PM
Gotta remember that Mississippi aint the only state that TANF funds were misused. The feds must be really busy...On another note I wish they would investigate Andy Gipson & his dept- How the hell do you let a company operate that runs tens of millions of dollars thru every year with only a one million dollar bond???
Wasn't it just yesterday, below yet-another story about Jackson's obviously-fishy selection of Richard's Dispoal, that someone said something like, "Time for Shad to go after another old lady in a rural county!" ?
Prophetic!
All you people who think corruption is less wrong for lower income or rural people should learn this lesson: stealing is stealing, regardless of your station in life.
It's either low IQ or some form of venereal disease that causes you goobs to constantly mention Shad not 'going after' 'Feel' and Brett.
What will it take to get you morons to realize the feds have full jurisdiction over investigation and prosecution of the Mississippi TANF debacle and the State Auditor has no authority to intercede?
Wonder if Shad will do a press release when he’s busted for covering for Phil?
9:33 - No point in arguing with these mouth-breathers.
We will never forget Shads harassment of the parole board case that he lost.
Unless there's equal enforcement of the law for the powerful and the not powerful..... you have what you have
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