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Updated: 6:28 PM May 9, 2008
Neal Pleads Guilty
Harrisonburg, Va. Suspended Harrisonburg City Treasurer Rebecca Neal has pleaded guilty to charges of misappropriation of public funds. Posted: 11:51 AM May 9, 2008 |
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26 Comments 
Suspended Harrisonburg City Treasurer Rebecca Neal has pleaded guilty to charges of misappropriation of public funds.
Commonwealth's Attorney Marsha Garst and the Harrisonburg Police Department held a press conference Friday morning to announce the plea.
The offense is a Class 4 Felony that would have carried ten years of jail time, but through the plea agreement, those ten years are suspended.
Neal will spend two years on supervised probation and she will also pay restitution to the city for bad check fees and for interest lost on the money she illegally kept, totaling $150.
She will also pay $800 in restitution to the Harrisonburg Police Department for the cost of production of bank records.
Neal must also forfeit her position as city treasurer.
In a press release, Garst says, "I applaud the hundreds of investigative hours from the Harrisonburg Police Department, lead Investigator Terry Warlitner, and financial crimes expert Howard Mulholand of the Virginia Attorney General's Office who helped to assure a conviction in this case. In addition, staff at both the Harrisonburg Police Department and the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office work tirelessly to assure the case and numerous records were professional organized. Due to the efforts of law enforcement, the dedication of citizens, and devoted civil servants, the Office of the Treasurer of the City of Harrisonburg will be restored to a place of integrity."
Latest Comments
get a clue folks, people admit to things they didn't do frequently. why? well, when you have children who would have had to go h*** already, and look forward to a week long trial with PLENTY of media coverage nit picking at everthing a mother has done, or is made to look like she did, you do what is best for your children. a job is a job, family is precious, you protect THEM. she's an adult who looked as though she was going to fight for her side of the story. how many of you would drag your children through the mud and trash so you could look good to the public. God knows, she knows, the rest of of have no clue. she had no criminal record (look on the court website) i couldn't even find a speeding ticket. decent person who is made to look like jessie james in a skirt with her mattress stuffed with money does the right thing - for her kids. what a b****. hope none of you have something bad happen to you and look for justice.
Well, the "old boys club" is still alive and kicking in the 'burg - John Byrd's daughter got away with it! Imagine if one of the "common folk" stole, oh excuse me, "borrowed" money from our employer- we would be in jail so fast our head would be spinning . Come on Harrisonburg- wake up! These people continue to sell you and this once wonderful town down the river and sit back and enjoy the fruits of their ill-gotten gains.!! Meanwhile all of the working people in this town are paying for their "done deals" over and over. I say hurray for Carolyn Frank - she at least was brave enough to speak for the average person on the street who has been saying: "Why is Mrs. Neal allowed to handle taxpayers money when her behavior shows that she cannong be trusted?" Watch out Carolyn, the "boys" will be after you. You dared go against them!!
Why isn't the media asking about Garst's role in advising the county residents who circulated the petition? She said today the petition "put some teeth into the prosecution"...if she herself was behind it, or at least making sure it was worded correctly, that seems pretty unethical. She certainly made a big deal of how the petition "spoke on behalf of the city of Harrisonburg," yet eight times more people voted for Neal in the last election than signed the petition. Public outrage or political maneuver? Please ask the hard questions.
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