Former Callaway County collector sentenced in embezzlement case
A federal judge on Monday sentenced the former Callaway County collector to spend 2 1/2 years in prison.
Pamela Oestreich pleaded guilty in September to embezzling nearly $300,000 from the county.
The sentence also demands Oestreich pay the county $379,588 in restitution for the crime, which includes $280,000 in direct damages, the cost of the state audit that was performed in response to the crime and the cost of a private audit.
Prosecutors began their arguments for Oestreich’s sentence by reading the entirety of the public oath that was administered to her four times in her nearly 17 years as the county’s collector. They argued that Oestreich had thoroughly damaged the public’s trust in government.
Though tears, Oestreich addressed the judge and the half-dozen Callaway County officials in attendance.
“I stand fully accountable and responsible for violating everyone’s trust,” Oestreich said. “There are no excuses. I stand here today ashamed and embarrassed.”
Attorneys for the 60-year-old former public offiicial argued that her age and mental health issues would make it challenging for her to pay back all the money she took from the county and that a prison sentence would further hinder her ability to mitigate the financial damage.
U.S. District Judge Stephen Bough ultimately ruled that Oestreich must serve 2 1/2 years in prison and then be placed on supervised probation for three years after her release.
“It’s been a long process and I’m thankful for the patience of the taxpayers of Callaway County,” said Sheriff Clay Chism. “From the outset, we believe that this case would be well-served in the federal system and justice has been done. We will all work to restore the county’s trust in government.”
Missouri state auditor Nicole Galloway issued a statement about the case’s result:
“Anytime there is corruption by a public official, it defrauds citizens of their hard-earned dollars. I appreciate the work of county officials and federal law enforcement to restore the public’s trust. Together, we have sought justice and accountability for taxpayers.
My audit this fall included a path forward for the county to better protect taxpayer dollars in the future, and county officials committed to making those changes.”
After the sentencing, Oestreich was immediately taken into the custody of U.S. Marshals to begin the 30-month punishment.
