Town clerk sentenced, must repay $7,500

A former Awendaw town clerk and treasurer pleaded guilty Tuesday to embezzlement of public funds of more than $5,000.

Felisha Carina Woodberry, 29, was charged with embezzlement in May 2007 after Town Administrator Dan Martin reported that Woodberry falsified checks and made unauthorized charges on the town's credit accounts.

Ninth Circuit Judge Roger Young sentenced Woodberry to a suspended five-year prison sentence and five years of probation. Her probation would be terminated as soon as she pays $7,500 in restitution.

An arrest affidavit accused Woodberry of misappropriating at least $25,000 worth of town funds, but $7,500 is all the 9th Circuit Solicitor's Office could prove Woodberry took from the town, said Assistant Solicitor Greg Voigt.

Woodberry worked for the town from 2003 to 2006 and the town's financial records for those years are incomplete. Town officials stopped auditing its financial records after 2001.

An independent bookkeeper, Danielle Terres, was hired to reconstruct an account ledger for the years Woodberry was employed. A copy of the general account ledger obtained through a Freedom on Information Act request lists more than $15,269 in fraudulent checks and credit account charges from September 2004 to June 2005 and $19,791 in fraudulent checks and charges from July 2005 to January 2006. Credit card charges include payments to various stores, a gas station and Maria's Wedding Boutique, ALFA Flower and Wedding, Wedding Channel.com and David's Bridal.

"She essentially financed her wedding using town funds," Voigt said.

Woodberry reimbursed the town for some of those expenses before she was fired in February 2006.

In March, Awendaw discussed hiring an auditor to review the books and conduct audits for the years that were missing. Municipal Association of South Carolina staff are helping the town prepare its records. Martin said he hopes the council will be able to select an independent auditor at its August council meeting.

Reach Jessica Johnson at 937-5921 or jjohnson@postandcourier.com.