Indictment: Retired City Clerk Covered Up Embezzlement

WICHITA, KAN. – A retired city clerk of Caney, Kan., was indicted today on charges of stealing more than $36,500 from the city, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Carole Sue Coker, 69, Oronogo, Mo., is charged with one count of mail fraud and one count of bank fraud. The indictment alleges that Coker, who served as city clerk for about 40 years, employed a so-called “check for cash” embezzlement scheme to conceal the crimes.

The indictment alleges Coker embezzled a portion of cash payments made to the city. She covered up the crime by recording only a portion of some checks made out to the city. In this way, Coker made the city’s books appear to balance.

If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the mail fraud count, and up to 30 years and a fine up to $1 million on the bank fraud count. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

The former operator of the water system in Garden Plain, Kan., was charged today with falsifying reports on the quality of the city’s drinking water, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Arthur Wolfe, 62, Norwich, Kan., is charged with two counts of making false statements in reports required by the Environmental Protection Agency. The indictment alleges Wolfe certified bacteriological reports in which water samples taken from some locations were represented as samples taken at other locations.

If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The Environmental Protection Agency investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.

Martin Urias-Sillas, 43, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Sept. 26, 2017, in Wichita, Kan.,

If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Enforcement Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.