Ex Ga. EMS Director Accused of Stealing $55K
GBI agents charged Former Gilmer County EMS Director Leslie Hightower with stealing more than $55,000 in funds meant for the county’s ambulance service.
GILMER COUNTY, Ga. --
GBI agents charged Former Gilmer County EMS Director Leslie Hightower with stealing more than $55,000 in funds meant for the county’s ambulance service. Hightower surrendered to sheriff’s deputies Thursday afternoon.
Channel 2 Action News has learned county officials were alerted to financial discrepancies in the EMS department back in May, just days after they laid off Hightower due to budget cuts.
“Through the system of the annual audit, we found inconsistencies that led to our questions that brought in the district attorney’s office and the GBI,” said Gilmer County Commission Chairman Mark Chastain. “We run a pretty tight financial ship and watch our nickels and dimes and pennies. The fact there was a way (for her) to accomplish this is pretty disappointing.”
According to the affidavit filed by the GBI, investigators said Hightower diverted checks meant to pay Gilmer County EMS for ambulance service into an account to which only she had access. Agents said Hightower used that money to make house and car payments and to pay credit card bills. Channel Two’s Richard Elliot went by Hightower’s East Ellijay house, but no one was home.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Bill Kinney, an Ellijay resident when he learned of the charges. “As broke as this county is, this is the last thing we need."
Gilmer County District Attorney Joe Hendricks also expressed disappointment with the arrest. “For someone to be taking public funds and using them to pay her own credit card and house payments is a really terrible thing,” he said.
Hightower was released from jail just a few hours after she surrendered once she posted a $30,000 property bond.
Chastain tried to reassure taxpayers that they will not be on the hook for the missing money. “Between our insurance policy and our coverage against such acts and the courts system, the taxpayers will not be on the hook for this.”
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