TONTITOWN -- A former city official who resigned last week pleaded guilty Tuesday morning to stealing from the city.
Alicia Collins, 33, of 18700 Bill John Road in Siloam Springs, pleaded guilty to theft of property where the value is more than $25,000 and theft of services where the value is more than $5,000 but less than $10,000, court records show.
Collins was sentenced to 20 years, with 18 years suspended, to be served at a regional punishment facility. She also was ordered to pay about $58,000 in restitution.
Collins was booked and released without bail at the Washington County jail Tuesday. She's scheduled to begin serving her sentence Sept. 22, officials said.
Collins was appointed as recorder-treasurer in 2013 and was paid $600 a month, city officials said previously. She also served as the bookkeeper for the city and earned $41,742 a year including benefits.
Collins was arrested in February after an investigation revealed thousands of dollars missing.
The state Legislative Joint Auditing Committee found money missing from the Water and Sewer Department in 2014 and 2015, according to the arrest warrant affidavit in February. An investigation showed more than $25,000 was missing since Jan. 1, 2013.
A state legislative report released in April revealed $56,963 in cash received and recorded in the city's daily water and sewer books and computer software program wasn't deposited at the bank.
Collins was in charge of the cash at the end of each day, according to the report.
Collins also credited her own water and sewer service bill without the city receiving payment on the account, according to the affidavit. Nonpayment on those services amounted to $1,387 between Jan. 1, 2013, and February this year, according to the state report.
Collins was fired by the city shortly after her arrest. She resigned her elected position Aug. 31 with a note saying she had moved out of town. Collins left Tontitown without paying about $150 for her last water and sewer bill, city records show.
The City Council approved her resignation Sept. 1. The city plans to appoint someone to fill the position during the City Council meeting in October.
Since Collins' arrest, the city has stopped accepting cash payments, Mayor Paul Colvin said Tuesday. The city also instituted several other checks and balances to safeguard money, including having multiple people sign off on balancing the revenue and deposits, he said.
Metro on 09/11/2015