(WHAS11) A Shelby County woman convicted of stealing $500,000 from her employer received her punishment, but the prosecutor said it was just a slap on the wrist and she’s blaming a senior judge for it.
The Senior Status Judge Program was started in Kentucky years ago, to assist counties in managing a growing workload and to serve when county circuit judges have potential conflicts.
That was the case last Friday, when Judge Steve Mershon presided over the sentencing hearing of an embezzler who admitted stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
There was emotional testimony from Shelbyville attorney Mark Dean, as he was describing how his former office manager, Jody Wills stole more than $500,000 from his practice over a five year period.
The investigation started when a bank notified Dean that a check from his escrow account bounced.
After he reported it, authorities found hundreds of checks written by Wills, to herself and family members.
“I never intended to hurt anyone. It started small and it grew and grew,” said Wills. She wasn’t stealing to feed her family. She was stealing for the sake of stealing.
Jody Wills’ case fills four large files; there are four different indictments, with 39 felony charges.
The files say Wills spent the money on a house, clothes, vehicles and even breast augmentation surgery.
Prosecutors said she was also involved in a $2.6M check kiting scheme, involving at least 6 banks.
They agreed to offer her a 10 year prison sentence; something Wills herself agreed to, but at the hearing, Judge Steve Mershon ruled that 9 months time is reasonable. And not even in prison, but in the County Jail.
Wills is allowed to see her family and even park her car at a nearby nursery, allowing her to come and go as she pleases.
The light sentence is making big news there, especially since the judge doesn’t even live in Shelby County, but went in from Louisville, made his decision and left.
WHAS11 tried to reach Judge Mershon for comment about the ruling, but has not yet heard from him.
