A special investigation by the State Auditor’s Office has found the former city clerk in a small eastern Iowa town improperly spent about 127-thousand dollars in city funds. Yamira Martinez served as the part-time city clerk in Conesville before leaving the job in March of 2024. Her replacement raised concerns about the city’s accounts. State Auditor Rob Sand says auditors have determined Martinez overpaid herself by about $47,000.
Auditors conclude that over the 34 months Martinez was the city clerk, she failed to deposit nearly $18,000 worth of utility payments AND failed to send out bills for about $23,000 worth of sewer and garbage services. Sand says Martinez adjusted accounting records to make it appear bills that were due had been paid on time.
The report from the state auditor’s office also shows Martinez used the town’s credit card to make $14,000 worth of Amazon purchases for things like clothes and make-up, Gucci sunglasses, mattresses, Apple air pods and toys for children. The report from the auditor’s office has been forwarded to Muscatine County officials.
Sand has recommended changing Iowa law to require mandatory prison time for a public official convicted of large-scale theft of taxpayer dollars.
Some cases involving the theft of taxpayer dollars are referred to federal courts. Last year, the former city clerk for the small Tama County town of Clutier was sentenced to nearly two years in Federal prison after pleading guilty to stealing over $100,000 from the town of about 200 residents.
