Former Lawrence County Auditor Jessica Staggs has pleaded guilty to a felony count of official misconduct stemming from her time as the clerk-treasurer for the town of Oolitic.
Staggs was arrested in August 2024 after a special investigation by the State Board of Accounts revealed that she failed to deposit nearly $80,000 in water utility payments between 2015 and 2020.
The report, released last June, said a complaint about a water bill made to a member of the town council led to the discovery.
Staggs has been placed on supervised probation for one year and will pay nearly $125,000 in restitution. The payment comprises almost $80,000 in missing utility payments and $45,000 in special investigation costs.
Staggs was elected auditor in 2021 but resigned in December 2023.
