A treasurer for the Arkansas Courts Reporters Association pleaded guilty in Bradley County Circuit Court last week to charges related to the theft of more than $100,000 from the organization, the attorney general's office announced Tuesday.
George Michael "Mike" Ashcraft pleaded guilty Friday to a charge of theft of property, according to court records.
He was sentenced to three years of unsupervised probation and must pay restitution of $18,122.76 to the association and the state.
"Ashcraft was in a position of trust and used his position to steal from the taxpayers of Arkansas," Rutledge said in a news release. "It is a horrible act and this conviction will ensure Ashcraft will pay back every dollar he stole."
Ashcraft was treasurer of the association from 2006 until his resignation in 2018. As treasurer, he had full access to membership funds, which are generated by dues.
He was arrested in March 2021 after the discovery that from January 2015 to June 2018, he misappropriated and misused membership funds in excess of $100,000, without the knowledge or permission of the board members and its membership, according to Rutledge's news release.
An audit found that Ashcraft combined legitimate association purchases with his personal purchases and purchases for others.
The investigation was done by agents with the Public Integrity Division of the Arkansas attorney general's office who sought and received a warrant of arrest for Ashcraft, according to the news release.
He turned himself into authorities in Bradley County and was released on a $15,000 bond.
Ashcraft was originally charged with class B felony theft of property, which is punishable by five to 20 years in prison, and class D felony theft of property, which is punishable by up to six years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
He pleaded guilty to the Class D charge.
Ashcraft was a member of the Arkansas Board of Certified Court Reporter Examiners, but his final date with the board appears to have been in October, according to the board's website.
He worked in Bradley County for Circuit Judge Sam Pope in the state's 10th Judicial Circuit, according to the Board of Certified Court Reporter Examiners.
The case was held in Bradley County and John "Jack" McQuary, a deputy prosecuting attorney for the Prosecution Coordination Commission, was appointed as a special prosecutor in this case and Circuit Judge Grisham Phillips was appointed by the Arkansas Supreme Court after several judges recused themselves, according to court records.