Stolen: over $430,000 from Cherokee County tax office (and they won't report who did it)

They won't tell you who stole $431,375 out of the Cherokee County, TX courthouse over a 5 year period. 

Every wonder why your property taxes keep going through the roof each year? It was quietly reported in July 2022 that the Texas Rangers were investigating the disappearance of over $430,000 in funds from the Cherokee County, TX Tax Assessor-Collector's office.  (Source: Funds missing from Cherokee County tax office, KLTV) After all the hemming and hawing with the County Appraisal District's property tax shortfalls, even blaming "clerical data entry mistakes," there is a simple reason why the county tax roll levy doesn't match what is reported to the State Comptroller. (Source: Jacksonville council calls for chief appraiser’s removal,  Jacksonville Progress)

County commissioners gear up to sue courthouse thief before their unnamed coworker is charged. Or will she ever be charged?

Will she be indicted by her cousins at all? After several forensic audits, $431,375.91 was confirmed stolen between 2015 and 2021 by an elected official in the Cherokee County Tax Assessor's Office.  Instead of publishing the name of the former Cherokee County official responsible for the missing money, the Cherokee County Commissioners Court is suing the unnamed female embezzler in Civil Court with the help of Tyler based attorneys Flowers Davis PLLC. (Source: County leaders to pursue civil suit in tax office theft case, Cherokeean)

In 2021, an internal audit of the Tax Assessor’s Office revealed county documents did not match what was reported to the state comptroller, said the Cherokeean.

Another audit was conducted by an outside company, and they also found there was an inconsistency and that $431,375.91 was missing, said officials. This was allegedly taken between 2015 and 2021 by an employee who had worked for the county for several years, according to the Cherokeean.  (Source: Cherokee County Commissioners Court votes to begin civil suit after money stolen from county tax office, KETK)

Cherokee County Commissioner's Court "...we're gonna get that money back from her, but we ain't gonna tell you who stole it..." (Courtesy: Jacksonville Progress)

 

 

Putting the cart before the horse.

With countywide elections around the corner, County Commissioners are eager to appear on top of the $430,000 stolen out from under their noses. They've announced a lawsuit against a still unnamed and unindicted defendant who is apparently related to members on the last two sitting 2022 Grand Juries. This gives the District Attorney's office time to wrangle with the thief's cousins behind closed doors before a potential trial jury is hand-picked and she is offered a settlement. Of course local media doesn't question the bass-ackwards civil suit against an undisclosed former county employee who hasn't been charged with an actual crime. In the interim you are to assume a low level courthouse clerk is capable of doctoring the books of nearly half a million dollars reported to the State Comptroller. They wouldn't lie to you...

Friends in low places

Will Elmer Beckworth recuse himself?

The "investigation" into the missing $430,000 began in January 2022; it was hidden from the public for 7 months until being leaked to the press in July 2022.  It's been over a year since the initial audit confirmed the stolen $430,000 and there are no reports of any criminal charges being filed by good friend Cherokee County District Attorney Elmer Beckworth who works in the same building as the thief.  As does Chris Davis and the entire Commissioners Court. She always brought cookies for everyone...

Gina Upshaw, (4th from the left) et al are lauded with their 15-year service awards, circa 2019 (Jacksonville Progress).

 "Just pay back what you can and don't talk to nobody..."

 

 Missing vs. Stolen

Audit reveals over $430,000 missing from county tax office, July 13, 2022- Jacksonville Progress

An internal audit of Cherokee County offices and departmental accounts revealed a discrepancy of $431,375.91 related to the tax office.

“Red flags were discovered by my internal auditor in doing a routine part of the audit that initially drew our attention to this,” said Cherokee County Auditor Steven Daughety. “We did do an audit report. Those findings were turned over to the D.A. because of our concerns with it.”

The information was presented to the district attorney on January 12, 2022, according to Daughety. 

District Attorney Elmer Beckworth confirmed only that the Texas Rangers were investigating the matter and that, if the missing amount is proven, the offense would be considered a felony. When questioned about the forensic auditor Daughety said was retained, Beckworth would only speak in generalities, stating the hire of a forensic auditor in such cases would be standard procedure. (Source: Daily Progress, July 13, 2022)

Where are the feds and the Attorney General?

Cherokee County voters are supposed to remain in the dark while their tax dollars are embezzled in the Rusk courthouse. Imagine the response in neighboring Smith County (with a population and budget 5 times the size of Cherokee County) if a mere $4500 went missing from the county tax rolls.  The suspected official's name and face would be all over the 6 o'clock news. Commissioners jumping the gun with a civil suit, before a criminal case has been made by the District Attorney's office, portends the Dog & Pony Show leading up to the May election cycle.  Local media does not make the correlation between hiding the identity of government thieves and their incentive to keep stealing. Obviously, they're all in on it.

Footnote 6/2/23: Gina Upshaw, 62 from Rusk TX was formerly indicted by a Cherokee County grand jury for stealing $431,375.91 from taxpayers during her tenure as Tax Assessor bookkeeper. Of course, no one in the Rusk courthouse has ever met her, or laid eyes on her. They do hope you enjoy your ever increasing property tax hikes (Source: Cherokee County tax office bookkeeper indicted for theft, money laundering, KETK).

Gina Upshaw receives 15-year service award, circa 2019 (Jacksonville Progress).

Gina Upshaw, was employed for 18 years at the Rusk courthouse with the County Clerk's office, and later handpicked by the Commissioners Court as the Cherokee County Tax Assessor Collector Bookkeeper.  (courtesy KETK)