A north-central Iowa county official is accused of using county money to pay her personal bills. Officials with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Tuesday filed first-degree theft charges against 46-year-old Mary Ellen Taylor of Iowa Falls. She is the director of the Hardin County Solid Waste Commission.
The charges stem from a D.C.I. investigation initiated in part by an audit conducted by the State Auditor’s office. The audit, which covered a period from January 1st, 2002, through last December, indicates Taylor was responsible for more than $127,000 of undeposited collections and improper and unsupported disbursements.
Taylor turned herself into authorities on Tuesday and is being held in the Hardin County Jail pending a preliminary court appearance.