LIMA — A Lima city official was the target of a secret indictment handed down earlier this week by an Allen County grand jury. That indictment became public with the arrest of Susan L. Barnett, 75, of Lima, on felony charges of theft in office, telecommunication fraud, aggravated theft, receiving stolen property and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.
An investigation by the state auditor’s office led to the indictment of Barnett, who served as the deputy clerk in the civil division of the Lima Municipal Clerk of Courts office.
Engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity is a felony of the first degree; the remainder of the charges are third-degree felonies.
Court documents show the alleged incidents took place between January 1997 to May 2012. The alleged amount stolen is somewhere between $100,000 and $500,000.
Beth Gianforcaro, public information officer with the Ohio Auditor of State’s office, said Friday “the Ohio Auditor of State’s office is conducting an audit related to the City of Lima Municipal Court. The audit is open, and we are not able to comment further.”
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