Sentencing hearing moved up for Dunkin
May 7—A sentencing hearing has been moved up for the former Hartshorne City Clerk who pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $83,000 by use of a city issued credit card.
Meredith Dawn Dunkin pleaded guilty in November 2020 in the Eastern District of Oklahoma for one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds from 2013 to 2016 while she was Hartshorne's city clerk.
Court documents show Dunkin's sentencing hearing was originally scheduled for May 24 after it was rescheduled from April 26 after a motion filed by federal prosecutors stated the Assistant U.S. Attorney in charge of the case is scheduled to be on annual leave on that date.
A minute order filed by federal District Judge David Cleveland Joseph reset the hearing before him at 3 p.m. May 17 at the U.S. Courthouse in Muskogee in courtroom 1.
A plea agreement in the case stated if Dunkin pleaded guilty, the U.S. government could not charge her with any more crimes that could arise from any additional investigation and that Dunkin will owe restitution in the amount of $83,083.35 to the city of Hartshorne and a forfeiture of items that were purchased with the illegally obtained funds.
A News-Capital investigation in 2016 revealed questionable spending practices at Hartshorne City Hall and citizens requested the State Auditor and Inspector's Office conduct an investigatory audit into the city's finances.
The State Auditor and Inspector's audit released in October 2017 states Dunkin made at least $80,083.35 in personal expenditures with the city's credit card and possibly $1,725,336.16 of the city's utility revenues was not deposited during the scope of the audit.
The 2017 audit criticized Dunkin, then-city treasurer Shirley Day, and then-Mayor Carolyn Trueblood. Dunkin and Day retired from their city positions, while Trueblood resigned as mayor.
Contact Derrick James at djames@mcalesternews.com
