By: Jacob Kessler
Kari Rowe, of Wauseon, has plead guilty to the offense of Theft in Office. The offense is a felony of the third degree.
The theft that took place was of nearly $65,000 in Swanton utility payments during her time as the Village of Swanton’s Utility Clerk.
According to court documents marked April 21st, Rowe will serve a definite term of eighteen months at the Reformatory for Woman in Marysville, Ohio.
The court also found that Rowe has the ability to pay financial sanctions imposed. These include restitution in the amount of $64,342.00 to the Village of Swanton, and $64,342.00 to the Village of Swanton for funds already disbursed to the State Auditor’s Office.
This amount of restitution totals just over $128,000 that will be payable to the Fulton County Clerk of Courts.
Rowe was indicted back in October of 2022 after the Ohio Auditor’s Office Investigative Unit found anomalies during an audit of Swanton’s financials for fiscal years 2016 and 2017.
Jacob can be reached at jacob@thevillagereporter.com