Pinckneyville employee charged

Class 1 felony theft charges have been filed against a 38-year-old secretary and assistant utility clerk for the City of Pinckneyville.

According to the complaint filed late last week in Perry County Circuit Court employee Tonya D. Morgan "knowingly exerted unauthorized control over property of the City of Pinckneyville, being U.S. currency in an amount greater than $10,000, but less than $100,000 intending to deprive the City of Pinckneyville permanently of use of the property.

As of Sunday evening Pinckneyville Mayor Robert Spencer had not yet been informed that the complaint had been filed, saying it was the weekend and that persons close to the case were not immediately accessible to discuss the complaint.

Mayor Spencer said he would get the details early Monday as the investigation continues.

Morgan was terminated from her position in early July and Mayor Spencer said the vacancy had not yet been filled.

"We are doing interviews," he said late Sunday. He said he expected the vacancy to be discussed during executive session Monday night.

Mayor Spencer could not discuss the details of the investigation. The complaint says the alleged theft took place between July 1 2011 and July 13, 2015 and that as a Class 1 felony the statute of limitations is extended beyond the customary three years.

The investigations division of the Illinois State Police have been involved in that investigation.

The complaint concludes that the defendant "may be arrested and dealt with according to law."