McDonough officials probing theft of funds

By MEGAN MATTEUCCI

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

McDonough officials said it could be weeks before they determine how much money was stolen from the city.

Callie Dorsey, police chief Preston Dorsey’s wife, was accused of taking the money collected for the city’s sewer and sanitation billing, City Administrator Billy Beckett said.

Beckett said the city auditor discovered the missing funds while reviewing last year’s finances, and turned the investigation over to the Henry County District Attorney.

The city auditor is scheduled to return to reviewing the files next weeks.

“We don’t know how long it will take to look at all the records,” Beckett said Wednesday night. “We have to get all the facts.”

Dorsey, 49, admitted to the theft in an Aug. 6 meeting with Beckett, and was fired from her job as a municipal clerk.

Beckett has only been city administrator for seven months.

City officials decided not to place Chief Dorsey, the suspect’s husband, on administrative leave, Beckett said.

“Chief Dorsey is not the subject of the investigation,” Beckett said. “He didn’t have any knowledge of his wife’s activities.”

As of Wednesday, no charges had been filed, and the case was expected to go before a Henry County grand jury, officials said.