Former Moniteau County assessor’s husband charged
CALIFORNIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Prosecutors have filed misdemeanor charges against the husband of a former Moniteau County official suspected of misusing public money.
Justin Trimble was charged Monday with two misdemeanors: fraudulent use of a credit or debit device and stealing.
The investigation against Justin Trimble's wife, former assessor Amanda Trimble, turned up 123 suspicious fuel purchases using a county fuel card, according to a probable cause statement. Surveillance video showed Justin Trimble making purchases in four of those instances, the statement said.
Amanda Trimble became the target of the investigation after a whistleblower complaint filed with the state auditor, Moniteau County Sheriff Tony Wheatley said last month. Missouri State Highway Patrol investigators allege Amanda Trimble used county funds to pay for expenses on a personal trip to Texas in October, including airfare.
She resigned effective Jan. 1 amid the probe into her spending.
Amanda Trimble is accused of charging $446.20 to a county credit card for two airline tickets from Columbia to Dallas/Ft. Worth and seeking reimbursement for personal expenses of more than $200. Authorities allege she also hid information on receipts submitted to the county to mask the purpose of the trip, which was alleged to celebrate a friend's birthday.
The probable cause statement in her case says Amanda Trimble in total spent more than $4,800 of county money on personal expenses, including suspect fuel purchases and expenses for other trips.
Justin Trimble's four alleged fuel purchases totaled about $113, investigators say. The MFA Petro 24 Fuel card Justin Trimble used requires a PIN for fuel purchases, investigators say. Justin Trimble would have had to enter the PIN assigned to his wife, investigators wrote in the probable cause statement.
The Trimbles were each issued a criminal summons to appear in court. Their arraignments are scheduled for March 26.
Shane Farrow, Amanda Trimble's lawyer, was not immediately available for comment Tuesday. No lawyer was listed for Justin Trimble in online court records.
