Retired City Clerk Sentenced for Embezzlement

WICHITA, KAN. – A retired city clerk of Caney, Kan. was sentenced Thursday to three years on federal probation for embezzling city funds, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said. The defendant also was ordered to pay more than $150,000 in restitution.

Carole Sue Coker, 70, Oronogo, Mo., pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. Coker, who served as city clerk for about 40 years, admitted she took money from payments made to the city in the form of cash and checks.

In some cases, she did not deposit cash payments from customers into the city’s accounts. In other cases, she deposited only a portion of payments made in the form of checks.

McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.