The Collin County Observer™

On February 16th, 2010 Judge Lewis's Justice of the Peace Court in Plano collected $8515 in fees and fines. Of that $8515, $5,277 was in cash.

For two weeks, the money sat in the JP court office undeposited. Finally on March 8, all the checks and $4,077 in cash were deposited in the county's bank.

$1,200 in cash disappeared and remained unaccounted for until the County Auditor discovered the probable theft in June.

When the auditor's staff arrived on June 8th they discovered a deposit bag from June 2. The money had not been taken to the bank, and there was $586 in cash missing. Another deposit bag from June 4 was also missing $720 in cash.

In all, the Auditor documented $2,506 in missing cash and one lost check for #101.

The Auditor's office believes the money was most likely stolen by an employee, and has turned over the results of the audit to the Collin County District Attorney for investigation. Several high ranking officials at the county confirmed to The Observer that the DA and the Plano police are pursuing a criminal investigation at the JP court.

According to the 2010 County Budget, six people work in the Precinct 3-1 Justice of the Peace Court presided over by Judge Johnnie Lewis.

I checked with the county, there have been no personnel changes in the court in the past 12 months.

So every day, Judge Lewis's court collects fines and fees, much of it from people accused of breaking the law - including for stealing. Then someone in the court steals the fines. That person or persons are still working for our JP court -- still entrusted with collecting money owed to the county.

According to those I've spoken with, the prosecution of the thief has been made much more difficult, maybe made impossible, because of the slipshod way the office was run. Money, which county policy requires be kept secured until deposited in a bank within 24 hours, was left in bags on the floor for up two 2 weeks. Checkbooks were not reconciled, and the deposits were not checked against the day's receipts.

Two prior years of Audits warned the Judge that bank reconciliations were not being done.

Those employees who managed the money and the accounting still work at the court, still report to work every day and are still responsible for accounting for all money. In his response to the Auditor's report, Judge Lewis wrote that "updated policies have been implemented".

I called Judge Lewis and asked him if we could discuss the audit. He told me that he could not because "there was an active criminal investigation of a member of my staff".

According to state law, Judge Lewis is personally responsible for all money entrusted to his court. If the funds are not recovered he will have to repay the county out of his own pocket.

Bill

============================
NOTES:

Link: The 2010 audit report of Justice of the Peace Court 3-1

Auditor reports money missing from Johnny Lewis' Justice of the Peace court, CCO, September 21, 2010