News

Columbus – The former fiscal officer for York Township (Belmont County) and its Water Authority has been indicted on 27 counts involving theft in office and related charges in connection with paying her mother Irma Shreffler, and one other person with money they had not earned. Dawn Lee’s mother and another person also were indicted by the Belmont County grand jury on 10 additional counts.

The Ohio Auditor of State’s Public Integrity Assurance Team (PIAT) led the special audit and investigation into the misuse of public funds. Stephanie Anderson, PIAT attorney, was appointed special assistant prosecuting attorney by the Belmont County prosecutor for this matter.

Lee, 47, was indicted on charges involving misuse of township credit cards, overpayment of wages and miscellaneous reimbursements, failing to file income tax returns, and failure by Lee to remit income taxes she collected from township and water authority employees. Shreffler, 69, and the other person whose name is being held under a secret indictment, were indicted for collecting payments they were not entitled to receive and for income tax related charges.

According to the indictments:

• Lee was indicted for writing checks to her herself, her mother and the third person in amounts greater than they were entitled to receive from both the township and the water authority, and for misuse of township and water authority credit cards. She was indicted on 27 counts, including:
• 15 counts of theft in office (four third-degree felonies (F3), eight fourth-degree felonies (F4) and three fifth-degree felonies (F5))
• one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (F1)
• two counts of theft (F4)
• seven counts of failure to remit income taxes (F5)
• one count of tampering with records (F3)
• one count of failure to file income taxes (F3)

• Shreffler accepted pay for work she never performed for the township and also received property purchased by Lee with township funds, resulting in the indictment for one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (F2); complicity to commit theft in office (F4); receiving stolen property (F5); and failure to file income taxes (F5).

• The third person was indicted for accepting payments from Lee for work not performed for the township and overpayment from the water authority that he/she was not entitled to receive. The third person was indicted on two counts of receiving stolen property (F5) and one count each of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (F1); complicity to commit theft in office (F3); theft in office (F4); and failure to file income taxes (F5).

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The Auditor of State’s office, one of five independently elected statewide offices in Ohio, is responsible for auditing more than 5,900 state and local government agencies.  Under the direction of Auditor Dave Yost, the office also provides financial services to local governments, investigates and prevents fraud in public agencies and promotes transparency in government.

Contact:
Beth Gianforcaro
Press Secretary
614-644-1111