Ashland Manager Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud, ID Theft

COVINGTON, Ky. — The grimy truth behind the embezzlement schemes of Mary Elizabeth Pickett, 56, was laid bare in federal court as she pleaded guilty to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Pickett, once an office manager for the Boyd County Child Support Enforcement Office (BCCSEO), admitted to siphoning off a staggering $126,313.90 from the agency over six years. Her brazen scheme involved falsifying payroll documents, inflating hours worked by employees and cashing in on the difference.

In court, Pickett faced charges for submitting false reports that an employee had logged 40-hour weeks when they only worked 14. She then forged her supervisor’s signature to cash in on the fraudulent pay. Pickett is scheduled for sentencing on January 11, facing up to 20 years for the mail fraud and a minimum of two years for the identity theft charge.

The investigation was jointly handled by the FBI and Kentucky State Police, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate K. Smith representing the United States in court. The case underscores the ongoing battle against financial crimes within government agencies.

Robert M. Duncan, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, and Commissioner Rodney Brewer of the Kentucky State Police jointly announced Pickett’s guilty plea. Sentencing will be determined by the Court based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and applicable federal statutes.