District Attorney Anita R. Howard announced today that she will not be pursuing charges after reviewing a Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) inquiry into the City of Fort Valley’s use of city-issued credit cards found no evidence of fraud and no basis for criminal charges. DA Howard sent a letter today confirming her decision to Fort Valley Mayor Shakeena B. Reeves, GBI, and Fort Valley City Administrator LeMario Brown.
The GBI investigated allegations of fraudulent credit card use by the City of Fort Valley and briefed its findings to the Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office. As part of the investigation, the GBI conducted an extensive review of the city’s banking records, focusing specifically on the accounts of four former officials: Dennis Flores, former Police Chief; Gary Lee, former City Administrator; Eddie Mason, former Financial Director; and Jeffery Lundy, former Mayor.
The review showed that the Mayor and each City Council member operate under an annual training budget of $10,000. Most of the questioned purchases were for hotels and food establishments, with additional purchases made at Best Buy and auto parts stores. According to the GBI, those purchases were tied to the city’s budget for training, computer equipment, the fire department, and the Public Safety Firearms Complex. Investigators found no evidence that any city credit card was used for personal gain or for any transaction unrelated to city business.
“While this investigation ultimately did not reveal any basis for criminal charges, it did spotlight the need for city officials to develop policies and procedures that comply with best practices in government spending, bookkeeping, and accounting,” said District Attorney Anita R. Howard. “Such policies, with a focus on transparency, stewardship, and personal accountability, would promote greater fiscal responsibility in the use of taxpayer dollars and help increase the public’s trust in leadership and finance.”
The District Attorney’s Office thanks the GBI for its time and effort on this investigation.