A former Stone County Road Department employee has owned up to misspending public money.
State Auditor Shad White reports that Tyler Loper has pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement. Loper is accused of taking various types of scrap metal belonging to Stone County from the Stone County Rubbish Site and selling it for personal gain.
“I’m thankful to the Stone County Sheriff’s Office for their help with this case and to the prosecutor who helped bring this case to a close,” White said. “We will continue to work closely with law enforcement to make sure your tax dollars are spent properly.”
White’s team worked alongside the Stone County Sheriff’s Office on the investigation into the alleged crime committed by the public employee.
“The Stone County Sheriff’s Office was happy to work alongside the State Auditor’s Office to ensure the theft of county property and funds would not occur in the future by Loper,” an official statement from the local law enforcement department reads.
Loper was prosecuted in Stone County Circuit Court where he was sentenced five years reporting non-adjudicated probation supervised by the Mississippi Department of Corrections. He was ordered to pay $2,754.80 in restitution, $1,500 in fines, and $300 to the Crime Victims Compensation Fund.
