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Lord pleads guilty to embezzlement

Former MCHS bookkeeper ordered to pay restitution

Jerry Raehal

— A former Moffat County High School bookkeeper charged with embezzlement pleaded guilty Wednesday in Moffat County District Court.

Susie Lord, of Craig, has to pay back restitution after pleading guilty to embezzlement of public property, a class 5 felony.

The restitution is believed to be about $57,000 plus interest.



It was stipulated Lord will receive a non-department of corrections sentence, meaning she cannot go to prison. However, she could receive jail time, which would be less than one year, or community corrections, which could be more than a year.

The sent-encing hearing is set for 1 p.m. Sept. 5. Deputy District Attorney Brett Barkey will handle the sentencing.



Lord was being charged with three felonies – theft in a series between $500 and $15,000, embezzlement of public property and forgery of a government issued document – before she made the plea.

The charges stemmed from the alleged embezzlement of money from the high school activities account.

An initial complaint filed by the District Attorney’s office indicated the embezzlement occurred during a four-year time period, from August 2002 to August 2006. The document also alleged Lord “knowingly converted the public monies or property to her own use or to a use other than the public authorized by law.”

After allegations against Lord surfaced, she resigned from her post and school district officials implemented safeguards to prevent employee frauds in the future.


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