JACKSON- A Perry County Grand Jury returned a multiple count indictment for Emily Holder, former city clerk of the town of New Augusta.

Charges include embezzlement and five counts of forgery. The State Auditor’s investigation alleges that Holder embezzled funds from the City by creating checks made out to her and forging Mayor Albert Garner’s signature.

The investigation determined that Holder embezzled $52,667.71. In addition, the State Auditor’s Office plans to seek recovery of investigative costs and interest.

“This activity took place as far back as 2006,” said State Auditor Stacey Pickering. “The auditor for the City of New Augusta discovered what he believed to be evidence of embezzlement and alerted our special agents to the situation in June 2009.”

Holder, 44 of Petal, began employment with the City of New Augusta on January 16, 2001 and resigned on June 18, 2009.

Municipal audits are required by state law to be conducted annually by a contracted CPA firm and be submitted to the State Auditor’s Office by September 30.

Although the State Auditor’s Office does not have jurisdiction to perform the audit as it does in local counties and school districts, state law does allow the Auditor to investigate allegations of embezzlement of misuse of municipal funds just as it can investigate any state or local governmental entity.

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