Marion water department manager accused of stealing $500,000 over 16 years | Crime

The manager of the City of Marion, IL water department has been indicted by a grand jury on embezzlement charges after investigators say more than a half million dollars went missing over the course of 16 years.

Linda Heyde, 59, of Marion, is charged with three counts of embezzlement and theft, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. The offenses each carry a statutory maximum sentence of up to ten years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and mandatory restitution. The Indictment also seeks forfeiture of $524,100 in criminal proceeds.

The Indictment alleges that Heyde, from 1996, through May, 2012, engaged in a scheme to defraud the city while she had primary control over the billing accounts.

The Indictment alleges that the City of Marion Police Department was advised that Heyde was handling the water department’s deposit funds in a suspicious manner and that daily bank deposits did not contain cash. Police installed covert cameras in the water department and prosecutors say she was observed on camera placing money in her purse. An audit was performed and showed that falsified adjustments had been made to customer accounts resulting in approximately $500,000 in missing funds.

The Indictment is the result of an investigation conducted by the City of Marion Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.