A hearing has been scheduled in Garland County to determine whether to revoke the probation of a woman who was sentenced to 20 years' probation in 2017 for embezzling county funds that she used to buy items that included Razorbacks tickets and a tuxedo for her dog.
Kristi Lyn Goss, 46, pleaded guilty in Garland County Circuit Court on Sept. 11, 2017, to six felony counts of fraudulent use of a credit card, including two counts involving amounts over $25,000 and four counts involving amounts over $5,000. Goss was sentenced on Nov. 22, 2017, to 20 years' supervised probation and ordered to pay over $366,000 in restitution.
Court documents show a revocation plea hearing was held on Jan. 13 and Goss denied the allegations in the petition. A hearing on the matter was set for March 16.
According to an affidavit from the Arkansas State Police, Goss fraudulently charged approximately $200,000 worth of items to a Garland County credit card.
Goss had been employed as an administrative assistant by Garland County since 2004 and was terminated on June 3, 2016. She reportedly left her position in May 2016 after the fraud allegations came to light.
Garland County Comptroller Susan Ashmore discovered the discrepancies in May 2016 after Goss failed to pay county bills on time. An auditor discovered 3,722 charges made on the card between December 2011 and May 2016 and confirmed $70,523.64 in personal purchases made by Goss using subpoenaed business records.
Some of the personal purchases included payments for her electric bills and cellphone bills, tickets to University of Arkansas games, car payments, her personal real estate taxes, hotel gift cards, a diamond bracelet, throw pillows and a tuxedo for her pug to wear.
The case drew national attention after her arrest.
A petition to show cause why her probation should be revoked filed on Dec. 30, 2019 report notes Goss was ordered to pay $366,532 in restitution, which included the auditing costs of the investigation into the thefts, a $600 fine and $400 in court costs. Garland County Prosecuting Attorney Michelle Lawrence told the Sentinel-Record at the time of Goss' sentencing she would have to pay $300 a month.
Lawrence noted a special condition of her probation was that Goss had to bring a copy of her income tax filing every year to her probation officer in case there is a change in her financial situation.
The violation report states that as of Dec. 23, 2019, Goss "has failed to consistently make restitution payments" and "has also not made the full payment of $300 as well." The report alleges she also violated a travel condition of her probation, noting that on Dec. 13, 2019, Goss admitted to traveling outside Arkansas without permission.
In a petition, Deputy Prosecutor Shana Alexander wrote that Goss' "probation should be revoked and the defendant should be committed to the state penitentiary to serve said sentence."
Goss was convicted as a habitual offender and could face up to the maximum time in prison if she were to violate her probation, Lawrence said.