United States Attorney James T. Jacks
Northern District of Texas

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txn/

FORMER WHEELER COUNTY SOIL AND WATER
CONSERVATION DISTRICT CLERK,
WHO STOLE PUBLIC MONEY, IS SENTENCED

AMARILLO, Texas — Andrea Y. Auldridge, 33, who pleaded guilty in October to one count of theft of public money, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson to six months in prison and ordered to pay $3,797 in restitution, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Auldridge, who has been on bond, must surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on January 10, 2011.

According to plea documents filed in the case, from August 2004 until late February 2009, Auldridge worked as a clerk for the Wheeler County Soil and Water Conservation District. Her duties included preparing books, correspondence, answering the phone and preparing for board meetings.

In February 2009, it was discovered that Auldridge had obtained at least two unauthorized credit cards using the personal and business information of a board member and the Soil and Water Conservation office. The investigation also revealed that from January 2007 and January 2009, she had written unauthorized checks from the Soil and Water Conservation District payable to herself totaling $2,146 and had over paid herself a $1650 sales commission that was not authorized.

The case was investigated by the Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Drake of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Amarillo, Texas.

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