Former city clerk stole thousands of public’s money, South Carolina cops say

Police arrested a former Lake City clerk for stealing thousands of public funds, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.

Jackie Hanna, a 43-year-old city resident, was charged on Sept. 11 with embezzlement of public funds (less than $10,000), and booked at the Florence County Detention Center, SLED said in a news release.

She was released the same day after posting a $5,000 personal recognizance bond, jail records show.

In 2022, Hanna worked as a clerk for the Lake City Water and Sewer office in Florence County, where she was “responsible for the safekeeping, transfer and disbursement of public funds,” an arrest warrant said.

From March through June of that year, Hanna embezzled more than $3,000 of public funds, according to the arrest warrant. The exact amount of money Hanna stole was not available.

Hanna’s scam worked by her deleting customer’s cash transactions and keeping the money, the arrest warrant shows.

Information about what Hanna did with the cash, and if she spent it, was not available.

The embezzlement was confirmed through internal audits, and Hanna confessed during an interview, according to the arrest warrant.

The 12th Circuit Solicitor’s Office will prosecute the case.

If convicted on the felony embezzlement charge, Hanna faces a maximum punishment of five years in prison, according to South Carolina law.