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Former Douglas County employee Vickey Tanferani was sentenced this morning to five months in jail after admitting to stealing $65,000 in tax collection receipts over a two-year period.
During an appearance before Circuit Judge William Lasswell, Tanferani was also placed on five years probation and ordered to refrain from accepting any jobs that involve handling money, except with the permission of her probation officer.
As part of the plea agreement that resulted in Tanferani pleading guilty to single counts of first-degree aggravated theft, first-degree forgery and first-degree official misconduct, she agreed to repay the county for its losses.
Later, Tanferani handed over a cashier's check for $40,000 to cover the first installment. She was given two years to pay the remaining $25,000, split between two payments.
Tim Thompson, an assistant Oregon attorney general who prosecuted the case, said he was satisfied with the outcome.
"Our goal was to make Douglas County whole, at least to the extent we could," Thompson said. "There's no replacing the trust, of course, but the county's accounting practices are much more comprehensive now."
Tanferani worked for the assessor's office for 14 years before she was fired in February 2000 after an internal audit by Sandee Correll, now the county's chief financial officer, revealed the loss of at least $41,000.
Following a complete investigation, it was determined $65,000 had been stolen by Tanferani between July 1997 and December 1999. The county later revamped its cash collection and accounting practices to prevent similar losses.
Thompson said Tanferani stole the cash by transferring money from a county tax collection account to a Roseburg bank account in her name. She later covered the losses by requesting money from a separate assessor's account.
"She found a weakness in the system that she was able to exploit," he said.
Originally, Tanferani was charged with 30 separate crimes, including multiple counts of the offenses she pleaded guilty to, plus six counts of tampering with public records.
The sentence does not prevent Tanferani from working a cash register at the Dixonville Store, which she owns with her husband, Don.
Tanferani, wearing a blue business suit, declined to address the court. She was given until 5 p.m. Wednesday to report to the Douglas County Jail to begin her sentence.
-- You can reach reporter John Sowell at 957-4209 or by e-mail at jsowell@newsreview.info.
During an appearance before Circuit Judge William Lasswell, Tanferani was also placed on five years probation and ordered to refrain from accepting any jobs that involve handling money, except with the permission of her probation officer.
As part of the plea agreement that resulted in Tanferani pleading guilty to single counts of first-degree aggravated theft, first-degree forgery and first-degree official misconduct, she agreed to repay the county for its losses.
Later, Tanferani handed over a cashier's check for $40,000 to cover the first installment. She was given two years to pay the remaining $25,000, split between two payments.
Tim Thompson, an assistant Oregon attorney general who prosecuted the case, said he was satisfied with the outcome.
"Our goal was to make Douglas County whole, at least to the extent we could," Thompson said. "There's no replacing the trust, of course, but the county's accounting practices are much more comprehensive now."
Tanferani worked for the assessor's office for 14 years before she was fired in February 2000 after an internal audit by Sandee Correll, now the county's chief financial officer, revealed the loss of at least $41,000.
Following a complete investigation, it was determined $65,000 had been stolen by Tanferani between July 1997 and December 1999. The county later revamped its cash collection and accounting practices to prevent similar losses.
Thompson said Tanferani stole the cash by transferring money from a county tax collection account to a Roseburg bank account in her name. She later covered the losses by requesting money from a separate assessor's account.
"She found a weakness in the system that she was able to exploit," he said.
Originally, Tanferani was charged with 30 separate crimes, including multiple counts of the offenses she pleaded guilty to, plus six counts of tampering with public records.
The sentence does not prevent Tanferani from working a cash register at the Dixonville Store, which she owns with her husband, Don.
Tanferani, wearing a blue business suit, declined to address the court. She was given until 5 p.m. Wednesday to report to the Douglas County Jail to begin her sentence.
-- You can reach reporter John Sowell at 957-4209 or by e-mail at jsowell@newsreview.info.
