Angela Lawson, Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funding, Indiana 2023

A former Owen County official has been sentenced to 20 months in federal prison for embezzling over $310,000 in federal funds.

Angela Lawson, 57, of Gosport, Indiana, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison by U. S. District Judge William T. Lawrence on March 1, 2023 after her conviction on five counts of theft concerning programs receiving federal funding.

Lawson, who served as the elected auditor of Owen County from 2005 through 2012 and as chief deputy auditor from January 2013 through August 14, 2014, also served as an Owen County Council member from January 2013 through December 2014.

As auditor, Lawson had access to a credit card account at Walmart, which she used to make personal expenditures totaling nearly $310,000 between March 1, 2010, and December 31, 2014. The expenditures included food, alcohol, gift cards, toys, jewelry, and vacations.

The losses were divided among the following years:

2010: $36,720.18

2011: $56,376.04

2012: $80,847.03

2013: $79,240.51

2014: $56,415.04

The investigation was a collaborative effort between the United States Postal Inspection Service, Indiana State Police, Indiana State Board of Accounts, and Mr. Robert Cline, a special prosecutor assigned to investigate the case.

Lawson must serve three years of supervised release after her sentence and repay over $300,000 in restitution, according to Drug and Violent Crime Chief Bradley Blackington, who prosecuted the case for the government.

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