PRENTISS COUNTY – A former Prentiss city clerk has been arrested after being accused of embezzling more than $460,000 in public funds, State Auditor Shad White announced.
Special agents with the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor arrested Dana Jones, who formerly served as Prentiss city clerk.
According to the auditor’s office, Jones allegedly embezzled $469,031 from the City of Prentiss during her time as city clerk.
Investigators said Jones allegedly added unauthorized paychecks and overtime payments to her salary, used city funds to make credit card payments on personal debt and drafted checks payable to herself before depositing them into her personal bank account.
“Every dollar stolen from taxpayers is a dollar that could have gone to paving roads, paying our teachers and cops more, or to tax cuts,” White said. “We will continue to do everything in our power to recover misspent money for taxpayers.”
Jones faces up to $175,000 in fines and 205 years in prison if convicted, according to the auditor’s office.
All people arrested by the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Suspected fraud can be reported to the auditor’s office by clicking the red button on the auditor’s website or by calling 1-800-321-1275 during normal business hours.
