Former Benton County official receives probation for using county's charge account

A former Benton County Conservation director received a deferred sentence Thursday for theft and another felony.

William G. Heber, of  Walford, pleaded guilty in May to second-degree theft and felonious misconduct in office. He made fuel purchases for his personal use on the county's charge account starting in 2011. He will serve probation for two years and was ordered to pay fines. Each charge carries a five year prison term.

Mark Brown, Heber's attorney, said after the sentencing that Heber paid $6,718 in restitution to the county for the fuel purchases after he pleaded guilty May 2, in Benton County District Court.

Heber was the conservation director from Nov. 7, 2007 to Nov. 7, 2011. He was charged on August 2012 after an investigation by the Benton County Sheriff's Department and the Iowa State Auditor. Heber admitted to investigators about the gas purchases.