Ex-St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office finance chief faces prison time at sentencing

3 years ago 290

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – A erstwhile St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office concern manager faces astatine slightest 3 years successful situation erstwhile she’s sentenced Tuesday connected aggregate felony charges related to an embezzlement scheme.

Raye Brutnell, 49, pleaded blameworthy successful May to 2 counts of expansive theft, 1 number of executing a strategy to defraud a fiscal instauration and 1 number of transgression usage of idiosyncratic recognition information, a complaint that carries a mandatory three-year sentence.

Brutnell, the Sheriff’s Office concern manager since 2013, was fired successful the aftermath of her 2018 apprehension connected a warrant charging her with embezzling much than $700,000 from the bureau implicit a five-year span.

Under the presumption of her plea agreement, the recommended magnitude of Brutnell’s condemnation depends connected however overmuch of the wealth she’s capable to repay. Ultimately, a justice volition person the last accidental connected her fate.

If Brutnell has repaid astir $860,000 successful restitution by Tuesday’s hearing, for instance, she would apt service 3 years successful situation and 5 years’ probation. But if nary of it is repaid, she could get much than 7 years successful situation followed by 10 years of probation.

As portion of the plea deal, Brutnell has agreed not to beryllium employed successful immoderate relation that would transportation fiduciary duties. She besides cannot person immoderate signatory oregon checking relationship authorization successful her employment.

Brutnell was arrested successful November 2018 aft colleagues recovered 63 checks totaling $673,422 had been issued to bogus vendors implicit a five-year period. Investigators determined she utilized relatives’ names to make slope accounts for fake vendors, forged signatures connected checks and deposited the checks into her ain account.

Brutnell, who was making astir $100,000 astatine the clip of her arrest, told investigators the thefts were fueled by fiscal strain, according to the warrant. Some of the wealth paid for her father’s enactment successful a nursing home, portion immoderate went to her car and owe payments.

This communicative volition beryllium updated pursuing the sentencing hearing, which is acceptable for 1:15 p.m. Tuesday.