A former Cerro Gordo County employee is filing a federal lawsuit against the county, and also names the county auditor and county budget director.

 Forty-four-year-old Debra Perzynski worked in the county management information systems department was accused by auditor Ken Kline and budget director Heather Mathre of altering computer timecard records between 2007 and 2009, resulting in thousands of dollars being paid to her in fraudulent wages.

Perzynski was arrested in February 2010 and charged with second-degree theft, but District Judge Stephen Carroll dismissed the charge last year saying evidence did not support the charge. According to court documents, Perzynski is claiming Mathre knew the accusation wasn’t true and was operating at the direction and with the approval of Kline.

Perzynski is claiming she’s suffered damage to her reputation, emotional distress, humiliation and financial damage. She’s requested a jury trial and is requesting the court award her compensation as well as punitive damages.

By Bob Fisher, KRIB, Mason City