A former Tallapoosa County Probate Office employee, Jarrah Shay Keel, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of using her position for personal gain, admitting to stealing $27,861.48 in public funds.
According to a press statement released on Facebook by Probate Judge Talmadge L. East, Keel will serve 30 days in the Tallapoosa County Jail, 36 months of probation and was ordered to pay full restitution.
"This betrayal of the public's trust will not be tolerated. My office has implemented new financial safeguards and oversight to ensure this never happens again, and am thankful those we had in place allowed us to catch this irregularity quickly. I remain committed to transparency and accountability," East said in the statement.
In a phone interview with 1819 News, East said that the thefts that occurred in November and early December 2024 were discovered during the normal internal review of monthly transactions.
It revealed that Keel misappropriated cash and failed to deposit $235,127.02 in checks for vehicle and boat tag transactions, despite the issuance of tags.
Though no citizen information was compromised, $12,272.65 in check deposits remain outstanding. These amounts must be repaid before tags can be renewed or new registrations issued, in accordance with state law. Individuals will have to rewrite those checks.
East's written statement continued, "I sincerely apologize to the people of Tallapoosa County. This was a betrayal of your trust. While I would have preferred a longer sentence, this agreement ensures full restitution and closes this unfortunate chapter."
Keel was immediately terminated upon discovery of the misconduct. New financial safeguards and oversight procedures are now in place.
"This has placed tremendous strain on my office and staff, and I thank the public for their kindness and patience," said East. "We are committed to full transparency and to earning and keeping your trust."
In the statement, East extended his deep appreciation to the Tallapoosa County Sheriff's Office, Attorney General Steve Marshall and his team, the State Examiners of Public Accounts, and his Probate Office staff for their unwavering dedication.
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