Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Former District Employee Charged With Forgery

A local woman has been charged on eight counts of second degree forgery in connection with a series of checks written on the Prescott School Lunch Fund, totalling $4,872.21.

According to court documents, Lisa Renea Crow, 35, of Prescott was charged with the eight counts of forgery for checks written Nov. 11, 1994, through June 8, 1995, on the school lunch fund account. Each count is a class C felony carrying a sentence of three to 10 years in the State Department of Corrections and a fine of no more than $10,000 per count.

Five of the checks were cashed at the Nevada County Branch Bank of Delight, and three cashed at First National Bank of Hope.

According to court documents, a stamp bearing the name of Prescott School superintendent Don Johnston was used to endorse the checks, all made payable to Lisa Crow.

The forgeries were discovered in June by a local bank. Once discovered the Arkansas State Police was called to investigate.

ASP investigator Jerry Reed spoke to Crow June 15, advising her of her rights under the Miranda Act.

Court records state Crow told Reed it had been a "horrible year," for her as she had gone through a horrible divorce. She told Reed she made a "stupid mistake." Crow also told the investigator Johnston had given her permission to use the stamp bearing his signature in emergencies.

Johnston was also interviewed by Reed June 15. The superintendent said the forgeries were discovered by a local bank and brought to his attention. When he checked the books he found several checks, which were suspected forgeries.

Johnston, according to court records, then called Crow in, as she was in charge of the checkbook for the fund, and she allegedly admitted using the stamp on checks No. 4076, 4081, 4093, 4041 and 3998 with no authorization.

School secretary Dorothy Hacket was also interviewed by Reed June 15. According to records, Hacket told Reed that Crow came to her office to borrow the stamp, which she gave to her because Crow had permission to use it. However, Hacket said she didn't watch Crow to see if she stamped more than one check. Hacket, according to records, said the stamp is kept in a box in the vault and the vault kept open all day every day.

According to Johnston's interview, when the discrepancies were discovered, he called auditors from the State Auditing Department. Jerry Spratt and David Terrell came to check the books and found several checks, which they reportedly believed to have been forged.

Documents in the Nevada County Courthouse on the case show the apparent first check to have been written was dated Nov. 11, 1994. It was check No. 3990 for $300.30. The remaining seven are as follows: Dec. 5, 1994, No. 3998, $335.50; Feb. 20, 1995, No. 4040, $286; March 3, 1995, No. 4042, $273.63; March 10, 1995, No. 4041, $349.80; June 2, 1995, No. 4076, $224.95; June 5, 1995, No. 4081, $311.60; and June 8, 1995, No. 4093, $2,790.43.

No court date has been scheduled for Crow in the case.