Masonville city clerk charged with mail fraud will plead guilty next month

Masonville city clerk accused of embezzling $80,000 from the city for about nine years will plead guilty next month in federal court, according to court documents filed this week.

Christine Anne King is charged with two counts of mail fraud. She is accused of issuing herself unauthorized and fraudulently inflated payroll and expense reimbursement checks from July 2002 to October 2011, according to an indictment.

King will plead guilty May 5, in U.S. District Court. No details of the plea agreement have been filed at this time.

According to an indictment filed in March, the city maintained four bank accounts at a Manchester bank and all the statements were sent directly to King. The city council didn't see the actual bank statements, but instead, they would review monthly reports prepared by King that summarized the balances of each account.

According to the indictment, King, as the city clerk, was responsible for managing the city's payroll and bank accounts, preparing and signing checks for the city, and making regular reports to the council She also issued her own paycheck, as well as checks to reimburse herself expenses like travel as part of her employment.

King would also prepare a yearly financial report for the city and one for the state auditor. Fraudulent 2009 and 2010 financial reports were sent to the auditor, according to the indictment.

According to a state auditor's report in February 2013, more than $80,000 was misappropriated.