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Former Newland Town Clerk Sentenced for Embezzlement by Public Official

By Tim Gardner

A former Newland Town Clerk has been sentenced for embezzlement.

On December 11, 2017, Priscilla Ann Trivette of Roan Mountain, TN was sentenced in Avery County Court for one count of Felony Embezzlement by a Public Official.

Superior Court Judge Gary M. Gavenus sentenced Trivette to serve between 6 and 17 months in prison. That sentence was suspended by the Court, meaning Trivette will not have active prison or jail time, and she was placed on supervised probation for 24 months (two years). As part of her sentence, Trivette also must pay $5,030.00 in restitution up front, which covers the Town of Newland’s out of pocket insurance deductible. The balance of the missing funds ($20,000.68) was returned to the Town through its insurance policy.

In October of 2016 the Town of Newland commissioned an audit for the 2015-2016 fiscal year. The auditor discovered that $25,030.68 was missing from the Town’s Water and Sewage Fund. Newland town officials then turned the matter over to the District Attorney’s office for investigation. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation also assisted with the probe. Trivette later confessed to an SBI agent that she had unlawfully taken money from the Water and Sewer Fund during the course of her employment as Town Clerk.

 An Avery County Grand Jury had issued a true bill of indictment against Trivette on February 13.

She was represented by Boone attorney Britt Springer.

Trivette stepped down as Newland’s town clerk in August 2016. She also had temporarily served as the town’s finance officer/administrator for approximately a month prior to her resignation.

 Trivette was later employed briefly with the Avery County Department of Social Services.

 

-Some information used in this article was provided by The North Carolina 24th Judicial District Attorney’s Office-