FARMINGTON (KFSM) -- A former Farmington city employee pleaded guilty Monday (Nov. 27) after being accused of failing to deposit more than $1 million in court and general fund revenue, according to a state audit.
Jimmy Story pleaded guilty to theft of funds from a program receiving federal funding and filing a false federal income return in 2011.
"He has really come forward today, stood before the court and the people of Farmington, the people of the county and the people of the jurisdiction and said yes it`s true, I committed these acts and for that I am gravely sorry," Kimberly Weber Story's attorney, said.
Story served as the court clerk and city finance finance director since 1995, according to an investigative report by the Arkansas Legislative Audit.
The audit found that Story failed to deposit $1,572,022 into city bank accounts between January 2009 and December 2016.
"My client, although fully admitting his behavior and conduct in the plea agreement does not believe that the monies he took, embezzled or otherwise misused come close to 1.5 million dollars," Weber said.
Story was released on a $5,000 bond and will be sentenced at a later date.
“He wants to do what he can to make up for his actions and that’s why we’ve done a lot of this, waived a lot of his rights and we’ve gone through this process instead of going through the indictment process. He is very, very remorseful," Weber explained.