Former Mesa city clerk arrested for theft
By Terry Murry on Wednesday, September 14th, 2022 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PASCO – The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office reports Danni Lee Speelman of Connell, the former clerk/treasurer for the city of Mesa was arrested Monday in Richland after a months-long investigation into questionable transactions and missing funds from the city’s operating accounts.
Speelman was previously advised that she was being investigated and had been actively evading contact with law enforcement, according to Commander Monty Huber.
In mid-July, a representative of the city reached out to the sheriff’s office regarding a possible fraudulent transaction they had discovered after terminating Speelman as clerk/treasurer. Detectives investigated the matter and found several more questionable transactions had occurred while Speelman was employed including checks she had created from the city’s accounts to herself and associates.
“Our investigation discovered that Speelman then attempted to conceal this illegal activity using her position as a primary person responsible for the city’s accounting system,” Huber stated in a news release.
Speelman was booked into the Franklin County Jail on an investigative hold for numerous crimes including theft, attempted theft, forgery, and misappropriation of accounts by a public officer. She is being held without bail pending a preliminary appearance. The Franklin County Prosecutor’s Officer will then make a final charging decision.
