A former district secretary for the Holmes County Water and Soil Conservation District has been charged with embezzlement.
According to the Mississippi State Auditor’s Office, Melissa Upchurch is accused of issuing and depositing district checks into her own bank account from June 2020 to September 2022.
Upchurch was served with a $48,160.08 demand letter at the time of her surrender, which includes interest and investigative costs.
“I’m incredibly proud of the team at the State Auditor’s office. They have recovered more money in the last four years than any other four-year period in our state’s history,” State Auditor Shad White said. “This case adds another log to the fire that we’ve been building.”
If convicted on all counts, Upchurch will face 20 years in prison and $25,000 in fines. District Attorney Akillie Oliver’s office will prosecute the case.
