JACKSON- Ann Beck Parks, former bookkeeper for the Grenada County Tax Collector’s Office, has pled guilty to embezzlement by a public employee and three counts of felony bad check.

Parks was sentenced on January 29. On Count I, she received eight years, five years suspended with five years probation and was ordered to pay restitution of $11,703.36.

Parks, 36, worked as the bookkeeper for the Grenada County Tax Collector from October 2006 – October 2007. Prior to this position, she worked as a deputy tax collector for the Grenada County Tax Collector from January 2003 – October 2007. The embezzlement totaled $12,174.40. In addition to the principal, Parks was demanded to pay $1,443.55 in interest and $4330.80 in investigative costs bringing the total demanded amount to $17,948.75. When confronted on the embezzlement in 2007, Parks paid $6,000.15 leaving the remaining balance as $11,948.60. The demand for this amount was issued by the State Auditor’s Office on February 10, 2009 following the sentencing.

“Public employees have the trust of taxpayers in Mississippi and must be held to the highest standard of accountability when handling taxpayer money,” said State Auditor Stacey Pickering. “This case represents over $12,000 in embezzled funds, and I am pleased with the sentence handed down by Judge Joseph Laper, Jr. and remain committed to watching out for the taxpayers of Mississippi by protecting their assets and integrity.”

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