State Auditor Nicole Galloway issued the statement below after Ava Langner, former secretary/treasurer of the Plattsburg Special Road District, pleaded guilty to a criminal charge of theft today in federal court. A 2019 audit from Auditor Galloway's office found district taxpayers had been defrauded of more than $286,000 over a seven-year period; last November, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri filed the theft charge against Langner.

"When Ava Langner stole hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars, she damaged more than the condition of the roads in Clinton County. She did serious harm to the trust that citizens put in their government," Auditor Galloway said. "My office worked closely with the FBI to provide information vital to prosecuting this case, and I commend our law enforcement partners for obtaining this guilty plea. We will continue to work with federal prosecutors to ensure there is justice for the taxpayers harmed by Langner's actions."