Former New Madrid County official charged with stealing

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- A former New Madrid County official is charged stealing from those under her care.

Nancy C. Pardon, who served as New Madrid County public administrator until resigning in August 2008, is accused of stealing at least $25,000 in cash and checks from those she was responsible for as public administrator.

Special prosecuting attorney Douglas S. Pribble with the Missouri attorney general's office filed the charges in New Madrid County on Sept. 25. Following her appearance Sept. 28 before Judge W. Keith Currie, Pardon was released on her own recognizance and scheduled to return to court Wednesday. Currie is an associate circuit judge from Pemiscot County who was appointed after Judge Charles Spitler recused himself because he handles the probate docket in New Madrid County.

In the probable-cause statement, Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Dennis A. Overbey said Pardon was appointed guardian of the estate of Evelyn Barnes, who had two bank accounts. The probate court was not advised of the existence of an account containing $35,725.99, Overbey sad.

According to Overbey, within six months the account was drained of all but $81.38, at which time that amount was withdrawn by Pardon and the account closed.

"In six months Nancy Pardon spent $35,725.99 of Ms. Barnes' money on herself. Ms. Barnes did not receive any money from this account once Pardon took control," he said.

The investigative officer noted several other incidents of Pardon writing checks for items at businesses. He said nursing home personnel were not aware of Ms. Barnes receiving any of the items.

Overbey found that from January 2005 through April 2006, $7,050 in checks were written to Billie Sue Whitley and signed by Pardon for cash. After Whitley was moved into a nursing home, Pardon continued to write checks to Billie Sue Whitley and signing them for cash in the amount of $2,384.64, however the nursing home's records do not show Whitley receiving any of the money from the checks.

In another incident, Overbey said, Margie Weaver received a monthly pension of $301.20 that went into a bank account, which Pardon did not report to the probate court. When the court brought the pension to Pardon's attention, he said, she denied any knowledge of it but that same day closed the account.

Nor could Overbey account for all the $5,000 Pardon received from the sale of Ms. Weaver's house.