New details reveal what prompted charges against Pender County clerk of court

New details have emerged in the case of the Pender County clerk of court who was recently indicted on felony charges.

Court records reveal that Elizabeth Craver, who’s served as the clerk of court since 2017, is accused of embezzlement and falsifying time entries for employees.

A grand jury indicted Craver Feb. 26 on three counts of felony obtaining property by false pretenses and one count of failure to discharge her duties.

How did the investigation start?

In 2023, Pender County Sheriff Alan Cutler was notified about potential criminal violations involving an individual who allegedly forged a deed and attempted to file it with the Pender County Clerk of Court.

During the investigation, according to court records, the Pender County Sheriff’s Office developed information from employees within the clerk's office that Craver may have committed various crimes in her time as the elected clerk.

On Oct. 12, District Attorney Ben David and Cutler requested that the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation investigate the allegations. David also requested a special prosecutor be assigned to advise the SBI. Attorney Jordan Ford with the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys was assigned to that role.

More: Pender County clerk of court indicted on felony charges

What are the allegations?

The grand jury found probable cause that from Nov. 8, 2022, to Aug. 15, 2023, Craver requested and received payment for items she represented were in use for her position as clerk. But these items, including an air conditioning unit, an ice maker, a Mac laptop computer, a printer and ink cartridges, were for her own personal use, according to court documents.

The jury also found probable cause that on Dec. 18, 2019, Craver directed the creation of and approved the fraudulent time entries for a clerk’s office employee. The SBI found evidence that the employee was told by Craver to leave the clerk's office during normal business hours to assist Craver with dress shopping at Mayfaire Town Center. In response, the employee did so for the remainder of the workday, court records state.

The jury also found probable cause for more fraudulent employee time entries from May 3, 2022, to May 17, 2022. The SBI found evidence that Craver created schedules and assigned employees shifts for working on her campaign, which included posting signs around Pender County and helping decorate Craver’s campaign float for parades. These employees were supposed to be working at the clerk's office during that time.

The jury also found probable cause that from Dec. 14, 2021, to May 8, 2023, Craver knowingly and corruptly failed to order the payment of interest on an owelty charge, which is a charge paid so that each party involved in a real estate deal receives equal value from the property when it’s impossible to partition the real estate into units of equal value.

In addition, when the special prosecutor notified Craver that she was under investigation, he cautioned her to not make any personnel changes or alter any documents that might be construed as interfering with the investigation.

Craver, however, terminated an employee who was a cooperating witness, and she tried to return property to the Pender County Clerk’s Office, according to an affidavit filed by District Attorney Ben David.

What happens next?

Craver’s final determination hearing, where the judge will hear the final evidence and decide whether Craver will be permanently removed from her position and disqualified from holding future office, is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. March 19, at the Superior Court Annex.

Meanwhile, Craver is currently suspended from performing her duties as the elected clerk of superior court, according to an Order for Temporary Suspension. The order requires her to turn in all keys and access cards for the Pender County Courthouse and any other facility to which she has access in her position.

While Craver is in her suspension period, Camille Harrell has been appointed to carry out the duties of Pender County Clerk of Court.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Pender County clerk of court accused of embezzlement, falsifying time records