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Former Dawson County clerk of court arrested for tax evasion
McCord already facing theft charges
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Authorities have added tax evasion to the litany of charges against Dawson County’s embattled former clerk of courts.

Becky McCord, 61, was arrested Monday at her home on felony warrants signed May 4 by Chief Magistrate Judge Lisa Thurmond.

The warrants contend McCord failed to report more than $148,000 on her joint 2008 and 2009 state income tax returns.

Had she reported the income, she would have owed about $9,000 to the state after calculated deductions, Dawson County Sheriff’s Maj. John Cagle said.

McCord is also charged with two misdemeanor counts of filing tax returns containing false statements.

She was released Monday afternoon on $22,000 bond, Sheriff’s Lt. Tony Wooten said.

Arrest warrants also were issued for her husband, Wayne, who faces one count each of tax evasion and filing a tax return containing false statements in connection with the 2009 return.

He was not at the couple’s Keith Evans Road home when deputies arrived Monday.

Authorities said they believe he knew the income amounts were false when he signed the 2009 joint return.

“But these are just the state charges,” said Cagle, who was meeting with the Internal Revenue Service and the FBI on Tuesday. “The federal investigation is ongoing.”

McCord’s arrest came about three months after she was first booked in the Dawson County Jail for allegedly taking more than $140,000 from clerk of courts accounts intended for passport payments.

The longtime former clerk has been out on bond since her Feb. 11 arrest.

McCord, who had served as clerk since 1993 and resigned in mid-March, was initially charged with one count of theft by taking.

Authorities said she wrote more than $200,000 in checks to herself over several years from a clerk’s office passport account, though she was entitled to only about $77,000 of the money.

Cagle said local authorities are continuing to work with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and “are taking this very seriously.”

According to court records, McCord’s criminal arraignment on the theft charge is set for May 18.

Pam Henson, who was appointed by the four judges of the Northeastern Judicial Circuit in late March, is serving as interim clerk until a special election to fill the post can be held July 20.

Ten candidates have qualified to seek the position.