Former Savona clerk charged
BY JOHN ZICK GATEHOUSE MEDIA

SAVONA - A former Savona cou rt clerk was charged Wednesday, May 21, with stealing more than $3,000 from village financial accounts.

Billie Jo Sutton, formerly Billie Jo Evingham, was arrested on charges of third-degree grand larceny and first-degree falsifying business records, both felonies. If convicted, she faces up to seven years in state prison.

She was arraigned and released on her own recognizance.

Sutton's arrest comes three months after a state Comptroller's audit reported more than $4,900 was missing from Savona Village Court. Auditors reported the shortage in deposits made between April 24, 2005, and May 17, 2006.

Sutton served as the village's court clerk from Dec. 2004 to Dec. 2005.

The audit , published in Feb., determined at least $4,468 in cash was missing. The rest of the money could not be traced. Deposits to court accounts during the period amounted to $280,500, according to the audit.

State police at Bath commenced an investigation at the request of the village.

Sutton concealed the thefts by failing to record money paid to the court, state police said.

The report is sharply critical of lax oversight by village officials and inadequate financial reporting by the village justice, Betty Andrukat Daw.

Another significant flaw in village practices was the hiring of three court clerks during the two-year period, including an unidentified woman convicted of petit larceny in another court in 1998.

"The justice was aware of the petit larceny conviction at the time she hired (the clerk)," the report said.

Village officials could not be reached for comment Wednesday.