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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Indictment Labels Iowa City Clerk a Firebug

DES MOINES, Iowa (CN) - The night before auditors were due at her office, a city clerk for Casey, Iowa, burned down the building, a federal indictment filed Wednesday alleges.

Prosecutors say Dorothy Dillinger had been dipping into public funds for years.

From 2009 until Aug. 28, 2014, Dillinger "used the city's credit card to makes [sic] purchases from various retailers, including Walmart, Target, Victoria's Secret, and Avon, of items for personal use and without approval of the City Council," the six-page indictment says.

Investigators value the personal goods she bought with public funds at about $54,000.

Dillinger concocted bogus bills to have the City Council sign off on the credit statements, every month.

Three times in 2012 and twice in 2013, Dillinger also had the city's checking account cover credit card statements that she failed to disclose to the city council.

Casey's citizens petitioned for an audit of the city's account, which was scheduled for August 20, 2014.

Prosecutors say Dillinger set fire to the Casey Community Building, which housed the city clerk's office, on the eve of that audit.

She is being charged with five counts of mail fraud and one count of arson.

Her arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 30.

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