Mitchener's trial date reset to July

Putnam County Circuit Court Judge Matthew Headley has reconsidered and granted a request for the continuance of the trial of a Roachdale woman charged with stealing more than $50,000 from Old National Trail, a local special education cooperative.

Tammy Y. Mitchener, 33, was set to go to trial April 22 and face charges of Class C felony corrupt business influence and Class D felony theft.

On March 18, Mitchener's attorney, Robert Perry, first filed a motion to continue his client's trial. Headley initially denied the motion, but Perry filed a motion for Headley to reconsider the request.

Headley reset Mitchener's trial for July 15. Her final pretrial conference date is now June 25, and any plea agreements in the case must by filed by June 18.

If convicted on both counts, Mitchener could face up to 11 years in prison.

Court documents allege that between the dates of Feb. 24, 2008 and Oct. 31, 2008, Mitchener, who was employed as ONT's treasurer, wrote 22 checks off ONT's account to PC Technologies -- a dummy corporation she set up.

Court documents said after Mitchener issued checks to PC Technology, she would deposit them into the account she had set up for the company and then move them into her personal checking account using online banking services.

ONT provides services to special needs students in all of Putnam County's school districts.

An audit by the Indiana State Board of Accounts showed the amount collectible by ONT from Mitchener is $109,249.78 -- $56,639.16 in unauthorized checks Mitchener wrote to PC Technologies and $52,610.62 in penalties and interest paid by ONT to the Internal Revenue Service and the Indiana Department of Revenue due to Mitchener's negligence.

Mitchener began working at ONT on July 1, 2007. She was arrested Dec. 2, posted 10 percent of a $10,000 bond and was released from jail the same day.