(Spencer)--A Former Finance Assistant for the city of Spencer was sentenced Monday on charges of felony theft and credit card fraud.
The case arose after the State Auditor’s Office released a report on February 18th of this year detailing a special investigation identifying that 53-year-old Lavonne Bell had stolen $46,098 during the period of January 1, 2018 through June 30, 2024, from the City of Spencer.
Due to a conflict of interest with the Clay County Attorney’s Office, Sioux County Attorney Thomas Kunstle prosecuted the case on behalf of the State of Iowa.
Just prior to the sentencing, Bell pled guilty to Theft in the First Degree, a class C felony and credit card fraud, an aggravated misdemeanor. The Court then sentenced Bell to serve a 10-year prison sentence but suspended it and ordered she successfully complete a term of probation not to exceed three years along with successfully completing financial counseling classes. Bell was also sentenced to serve 365 days in the Clay County Jail with all but 30 days suspended, with work release permitted by the jail’s rules, to begin on October 5th. Finally, Bell was ordered to pay full restitution of $106,098.
