Former New Madrid County official sentenced on felony stealing charges

NEW MADRID -- A former New Madrid County official was sentenced on three felony counts of stealing from those under her care.

Nancy G. Pardon, who served as the New Madrid County public administrator until August 2008, was sentenced Friday to seven years each in the Department of Corrections on a charge of theft/stealing of property valued at more than $25,000 and a separate charge of theft/stealing of property valued at $500 or more but less than $25,000. Execution of the sentences was suspended and Pardon was placed on five years supervised probation.

According to New Madrid County Circuit Clerk Marsha Meatte Holiman, 35th District Circuit Judge Stephen Sharp also ordered Pardon to make restitution.

"The judge is still making a decision on the amount and terms of the restitution but did indicate monthly payments will be ordered," Holiman said.

Restitution is being sought in the cases in which she was convicted and others.

Pardon had earlier entered a guilty plea on the three counts.

An investigation was begun before Pardon's resignation in 2008.

Among the findings by Missouri State Highway Patrol was that Pardon wrote checks for items reportedly never received by a woman, whose care she was in charge of overseeing. According to the probable-cause statement, Pardon spent some $35,000 from the woman's bank account for her own "personal purchases and bills."

In another case, an investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol determined Pardon denied knowledge of a pension check received monthly by another woman under her care. Investigators were unable to account for all the proceeds received by Pardon from the sale of the individual's house.

In a third incident, the investigators determined while Pardon was in charge of a woman's bank account and signing checks for the woman's care, the nursing home did not receive the payments for her stay.

The case was prosecuted through the Missouri Attorney General's office and heard by Sharp after New Madrid County Prosecuting Attorney Lewis Recker and Judges Charles Spitler and Fred Copeland recused themselves.