State audit of Purcell begins, arraignment set for former city official accused of embezzling

 An audit of the city of Purcell has begun, State Auditor Nicole Galloway announced today.

Sixty-four signatures of Purcell residents were needed for the audit and 84 signed the petition.

In a news release issued earlier today, Galloway said, "I look forward to conducting this independent review, and I encourage anyone with information to contact my Whistleblower Hotline.

The announcement of the audit comes five weeks after the Jasper County Sheriff's Office arrested the city's former mayor pro tem Nancy M. Wilson, 50, on a felony stealing charge.

The allegations against Wilson were spelled out in the probable cause statement:

On 04/15/2021 I, Det. D. Lewis, responded to 104 W. 3rd St. in Purcell, MO located in Jasper County. I took a stealing report from Kelsey Freelend, recently elected Mayor of the City of Purcell. 

Kelsey turned over copies of several checks and debit receipts from the city's Southwest Missouri Bank checking account. Kelsey said that several of the checks were suspicious and were all signed by the city's former Mayor Pro Tem, Nancy Wilson. Kelsey requested that the Sheriff's Office look into the suspicious checks. 

During my investigation I located a total of five checks from the city of Purcell's SMB account and one SMB debit (withdrawal) receipt all signed by Nancy Wilson. 

All five checks and the debit (withdrawal) receipt occurred between 03/13/21 through 04/10/21. All of these checks lacked the required second signature as required by city policy. 

The following check numbers were all written on the city of Purcell's SMB account, signed by Nancy Wilson, and all deposited into Nancy Wilson's Arvest Bank account: SMB check #3450 for $500.00, SMB check #3484 for $488.00, SMB check 3488 for $500.00, SMB check # 3454 for $500.00, and SMB check # 3457 for $200.00. The SMB debit (withdrawal) receipt showed that on 04/02/2021 Nancy Wilson withdrew $400.00 from the city of Purcell's SMB bank account. 

There is video of the withdrawal transaction on 04/02/21 from the SMB bank located at 300 W. 3rd St. in Carthage, MO. The total amount of money stolen from the City of Purcell by Nancy Wilson is $2,588.00.

In his request for a warrant, Detective Lewis said Wilson had been arrested in the past for felony stealing though no details were provided.

Wilson is scheduled to be arraigned 9 a.m. Tuesday in Jasper County Circuit Court. She is free after posting $2,600 bond.

Anyone who would like to provide information for the state audit may contact the State Auditor's Whistleblower Hotline at moaudit@auditor.mo.gov or by calling 800-347-8597. Concerns may also be submitted anonymously online at auditor.mo.gov/hotline.