Former Kansas clerk pleads guilty to embezzling more than $75,000

A former clerk for an Ottawa County town on Monday pleaded guilty to embezzling, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

Janetta Marie Buttery, 43, admitted to using credit cards that belonged to the city of Bennington and its recreation commission to make more than $75,000 in unauthorized payments, Beall said.

Buttery worked for the town, which the U.S. Census Bureau says has fewer than 700 residents, from October 2014 to May 2016 and resigned before it discovered the thefts.

Among her job duties, she handled the city’s bills and had access to its bank accounts and credit cards. According to her plea agreement, Buttery used a series of electronic Automated Clearing House, or ACH, transfers to take the money then used it to make payments to credit card companies and Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Buttery faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 when she is sentenced March 6, Beall said. Bennington is located about 14 miles north of Salina.

This story was originally published December 7, 2016 at 12:52 PM with the headline "Former Kansas clerk pleads guilty to embezzling more than $75,000."