County Clerk Melissa Turpin resigned from her office on Tuesday, October
20th. In an appearance before Circuit Judge Vernon Miniard, Turpin pled guilty to four felony counts, and Judge Miniard sentenced Turpin to 10 years
each on two counts of abuse of a public trust and five years each on two counts of theft by unlawful taking. All sentences are to run concurrent for a total of ten years.

Turpin was ordered to forfeit her office and report to the Wayne County Detention Center at a certain date and time. Turpin was also ordered to pay restitution to Great American Insurance Company in the amount of $75,000 dollars and to also pay restitution to the County Clerks Office in the amount of $64,986 dollars. Turpin will serve 60 days at the Wayne County Detention Center … be on home incarceration for four months after that … and the balance of the ten years will be probated on supervised release.

Meanwhile – the locks have been changed at the Wayne County Clerk’s
office and the office will remain closed until the State Auditor’s Office completes
inventory, and releases the office to be open. Wayne County Judge Executive Greg Rankin will be appointing a new County Clerk in the near future.

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