NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

JOHN F. WOOD

JANUARY 22, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LATHROP WOMAN SENTENCED FOR EMBEZZLING $427,000 FROM EMPLOYER

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - John F. Wood, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Lathrop, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for embezzling more than $427,000 from her employer.

Margaret A. Plowman, 60, of Lathrop, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ortrie D. Smith this afternoon to one year and six months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Plowman to pay $427,691 in restitution.

On Aug. 24, 2007, Plowman pleaded guilty to interstate transportation of stolen property. Plowman admitted that she stole $427,691 from her employer, Everett Quarries Company, Inc., in Plattsburg, Mo., from Jan. 1, 2002, to May 31, 2006. Everett operates six quarries in Clinton County, Mo.

Plowman was the bookkeeper and office manager for Everett for 32 years, until she was terminated in May 2006. Plowman admitted that she embezzled approximately $284,800 in cash from Everett's petty cash fund beginning in January 2000. She also admitted to writing $30,235 in unauthorized checks for her own personal use.

In addition, Plowman admitted, between November and May 2006 she wrote approximately 45 unauthorized company checks totaling $112,655 to Jose Rodriguez doing business as J & R Heating and Cooling in Gower, Mo. Plowman never verified the work that Rodriguez claimed to have done, and acknowledged that there were no invoices for many of the checks she gave Rodriguez.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney K. Michael Warner. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Clinton County, Mo., Sheriff's Department.

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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available on-line at
www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html