A Greenville County court clerk is out of jail tonight after deputies say she stole from an upstate judge.
Summary Court civil clerk Freddie Jean Johnson, 55, of Greenville, was arrested by the Greenville County Sheriff's Office on September 30 and charged with embezzlement. Johnson aleegedly embezzled $7,000 in pubic funds over a three year period, during her employment as a summary court civil clerk.
Johnson was a clerk for Judge James Hudson and Sheriff's Office investigators began an investigation into discrepancy of funds this past August, after receiving a complaint from Magistrate Hudson. Hudson, who is suspended, came to Sheriff's investigators after he became suspicious that Johnson was stealing money from right in front of him.
"We take it very serious," said Sheriff's Office spokesperson Melissia McKinney. "He actually made the complaint, saying there was possible discrepancies or misappropriations of his civil funds."
After conducting inquires into civil records accounts and receiving audit information investigators were able to obtain arrest warrants for Johnson.
'We do have records she made deposits at seperate dates," McKinney said. "It is possible that she tried to replace money at different intervals of the money that was being taken."
Johnson has been formally charged with embezzlement of public funds over $5,000 and forgery less than $5,000. Johnson has been employed under Magistrate Hudson for the past three years.
After Johnson was released on a $15,000 bond, News Channel 7's Melissa Keeney attempted to get hers side of the story, but Johnson refused to answer the door at her residence.
The State Commission on Judicial Conduct is investigating Hudson. They say it is his responsibility to keep an eye on the funds, some of which investigator say Johnson put right into her pocket. So until the case is cleared, the doors to Magistrate Hudson's office will remain closed.
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