JACKSON- State Auditor Stacey Pickering announced today that Barry Graham, former director of Vicksburg’s TV23, pled guilty to embezzling $21,714.

Graham purchased a laptop computer, camera, digital picture frames and various pieces of musical equipment for personal use and paid for the items with the City of Vicksburg funds. Graham was sentenced to ten years, suspended, with five years probation. He was ordered restitution in the amount of $29,059.87. This includes the loss to the City of Vicksburg plus interest and investigative costs. Several of the items were turned over to special agents of the State Auditor’s Office by Graham’s wife.

“Graham purchased over $21,000 in equipment that was completely unrelated to the function of TV23,” said State Auditor Stacey Pickering. “These items included a laptop computer, given as a Christmas gift in 2007, and musical equipment for a band. This activity was discovered by officials with the City of Vicksburg who began looking in to missing items that had been purchased by Graham. We appreciate the efforts of District Attorney Ricky Smith for prosecuting this case. Taxpayers of Mississippi are also fortunate to have government employees like Sidra Burns who discovered that the equipment purchased by Graham was missing and reported it to the proper authorities.”

The investigation began in September 2009. Graham, 56, worked for the City of Vicksburg from March 1, 2004, and was placed on administrative leave on October 27, 2009. He was terminated in July 2010 by the City of Vicksburg.

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