INDIANAPOLIS -- Owen County will auction off items purchased by its former auditor, Angie Lawson, who is now serving federal prison time for embezzling county funds.
“We want to try to get as much money back as possible,” said Owen County Commissioner Donald Minnick.
Lawson was convicted of embezzling more than $300,000 to buy food, alcohol, gift cards, toys, jewelry and vacations.
Indiana State Police will be releasing evidence obtained from the criminal investigation, according to County Attorney Richard Lorenz.
“The items recovered on behalf of the county will include all computers, phones, electronics, and tangible personal property seized in the investigation as well as some items which were purchased with the purloined credit cards,” said Lorenz. “While there is not a total value assigned to the items, and many are used or damaged, there are a significant number of items and they will become County property to be used, auctioned, or destroyed as the County may determine.”
A date for the auction has not yet been set.
Lawson will not be released from prison until May 2017. As part of her sentence, Lawson was ordered to pay $346,157 in restitution.
The Indiana Attorney General’s office also filed suit against Lawson demanding she repay taxpayer funds, as well as nearly $100,000 in investigative costs racked up by state auditors.
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