Jackson, MS- A former Franklin County resident has been sentenced on two counts of embezzlement by a public employee, announced Attorney General Jim Hood today.
Ramona Mullins, age 52, of Roxie, entered an open plea of guilty (meaning she refused to accept the recommendation of the State and instead threw herself at the mercy of the court) before Circuit Court Judge Forrest Johnson and was sentenced Tuesday. Mullins admitted that, while employed as a business manager with the Franklin County School District, she embezzled funds from the school district using the school district’s credit card to make personal purchases and diverted district funds for her own use.
Mullins also admitted to embezzling funds from the Town of Roxie where she also worked as a Clerk. Mullins admitted to using the Town of Roxie’s charge accounts to make personal purchases by writing checks to herself and coding them as insurance payments and then converting the money for her personal use.
The Judge sentenced Mullins to nine years, with six years suspended, three to serve, followed by three years post release supervision . She was ordered to make restitution to the Franklin County School District in the amount of $77,396.42 and to make restitution to the Town of Roxie in the amount of $16,866.51.  She was further ordered to pay $16,973.12 to the Office of the Mississippi State Auditor for the cost of recovery and a $225.00 fee to cover investigative fees.
“We appreciate Judge Johnson’s sentence ordering full restitution and time behind bars,” said Attorney General Hood.  “We also appreciate the cooperation between our office and the Department of Audit which led to this successful prosecution.”
This case originated at the State Auditor’s Office and was investigated by Special Agent Jay Strait with the Auditor’s Office and Investigator Chris Watkins of the Attorney General’s Insurance Integrity Division.  The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant Attorney General Larry Baker.
“I would like to thank the Attorney General for prosecuting this case,” said State Auditor Stacey Pickering.  “This is an example of our agencies working together to protect the taxpayers of Mississippi.”