The former city clerk of Casey, Iowa was sentenced on Friday to five years in prison for mail fraud and the arson of a community building.
Dorothy Dillinger pled guilty to the offenses back in May. In her scheme to defraud the city of Casey, Dillinger used a city credit card to make personal purchases totaling more than $54,000 for purchases at vendors like WalMart, Target and an online dating website.
In her guilty plea, Dillinger admitted to using the U.S. Postal Service to mail city checks to pay those credit card bills. Dillinger also admits to the arson of the Casey Community Building the night before state auditors were scheduled to begin a review of the city’s financial records.
The fire destroyed records, and according to court records, caused more than $2 million in damages and replacement costs. Dillinger has yet to surrender to authorities for her prison term, and a judge has yet to determine restitution.
An email to Dillinger's lawyer and a call to the city of Casey were not immediately returned. In a press release last year the city said it was, "shocked and saddened" by the findings of an audit that uncovered Dilinger's embezzlement and other improper disbursements.
