BROOKSVILLE – Former mayor Earlie Henley and former city clerk Shaquita Malone are facing felony charges for embezzling public funds.
The state auditor’s office announced Friday that special agents with its office had arrested the suspects.
Henley in May allegedly drafted checks made out to himself without the signature authority of a second signer, the auditor’s press release said. He also is accused of presenting cash withdrawal slips to the bank and pocketing cash from city accounts.
Henley’s alleged embezzlement totaled $19,998 and occurred between July and November 2024, Jacob Walters, communications director for the auditor’s office, told The Dispatch.
Henley lost his reelection bid and resigned in May, almost two months before his term was set to end.
Malone allegedly embezzled $7,500 over the past year from the city, Walters said. The press release said agents believe she entered herself into the payroll system as an hourly employee, instead of salaried as she was hired. Then she increased her hourly rate to receive money that was not authorized.
During the investigation, agents also discovered Malone is a convicted felon and was ineligible to be employed as city clerk.
The auditor’s office is demanding a total of $184,000 from Henley, Walters said, which includes the amount of the criminal embezzlement along with civil penalties for issuing a contract to a business without aldermen approval.
Malone’s total demand is $47,000, which includes the criminal embezzlement amount along with a civil penalty for working in a capacity for which she was ineligible.
If convicted on the criminal charges, both Henley and Malone face up to 20 years in prison and $5,000 in fines.
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