FAYETTE, Miss.- Less than two months after State Auditor Stacey Pickering presented a $200,000 check to the Jefferson County Board of Supervisors, the State Auditor’s Office has recovered an additional $100,000 collected from a bond on behalf of Burnell Harris, former circuit clerk in Jefferson County who admitted to embezzling funds from the county.

On February 2, 2006, the Assistant United States Attorney contacted the State Auditor’s Office alleging Jefferson County Circuit Clerk Burnell Harris failed to report fees collected by the office resulting in under-reporting of funds owed to Jefferson County. Harris served as circuit clerk in Jefferson County from 1984 to 2006.  An investigation, conducted by the Office of the State Auditor and the Internal Revenue Service, resulted in Harris’ sentencing on nine counts, to a 72 month sentence and to a three years post-release supervision.  He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $447,086.07.

“I am proud to return another $100,000 to the taxpayers in Jefferson County,” said State Auditor Stacey Pickering.   “We appreciate the help of United States Attorney Dunn Lampton and the Internal Revenue Service in helping bring this total to $300,000.”

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