Former Clinton County Industrial Development Authority Executive Director Charlette Koger has pled guilty to theft charges and, in an agreement with Clinton Circuit Court, will pay over $20,000 in restitution over the next 12 months.

Charlette Koger, was a longtime Executive Director of the Clinton County IDA when she was relieved of her duties by that agency in late March of 2019.

Following her termination from that position, an audit of IDA funds was performed and it was reported there were questionable purchases made through a credit card account that had been issued in the name of Koger.

The credit card account had originally been issued to Koger through the Clinton County Empowerment Zone Board, when she held the position of Director of that entity for several years.

Several years ago, when the Clinton County Empowerment Zone Board of Directors was dissolved and that entity was ended, its remaining resources were placed into the coffers of the IDA board for its use and programs.

Koger was named as the Executive Director of the IDA and served in that position until being terminated in March, 2019.

After a nearly two-year long investigation into the case, Koger was indicted by the Clinton County Grand Jury in May of this year.

The original grand jury indictment charged Koger with theft by unlawful taking in an amount over $10,000 but not more than $100,000.

In last week’s plea, the agreed to charge was reduced to theft by unlawful taking or disposition under $10,000.

In the plea agreement signed by Koger following a court appearance last Thursday in Clinton Circuit Court in front of Judge David L. Williams, Koger pled guilty to the Class D Felony and will pay the restitution and fine, in addition to serving a term of five years in Pretrial Diversion.

During that period, she will be supervised by a probation and parole officer, will give up her right of access to handguns and all firearms in addition to several other standard restrictions in similar cases.

She will also be fined an additional $1,000 and will pay court costs to be determined by the court.

Last week’s agreement stipulated that the restitution would be paid to the Clinton County IDA over the next year, with $10,000 due 30 days from last Thursday, $5,000 due in 180 days and the final $5,256.23 due a year from last Thursday.