Grafton woman sentenced for embezzlement and elaborate attempt to cover it up
Jan. 13—FAIRMONT — A 37-year-old Grafton woman has been sentenced to serve between one and 10 years for embezzling from her employer and carrying out an elaborate scheme to cover it all up.
Jessica Michelle Efaw, was indicted by a Taylor County Grand Jury last April after evidence found she had stolen approximately $13,000 from her her job with Taylor County Schools. On August 24, 2023, she entered guilty pleas to one count each of embezzlement, fraudulent Schemes and falsifying accounts.
On Friday, she was sentenced by Taylor County Circuit Court Judge Taylor B. Hoxie who pointed out that Efaw used a school-issued credit card to have her hair and nails done and buy designer clothes while serving as secretary at West Taylor Elementary.
Evidence also showed that Efaw falsified documents to hide the exploited spending she did at various retail outlets, including Target, Walmart and gas stations. The crimes took place in October and November 2022, according to the Taylor County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.
Under terms of the sentence, Efaw has to pay $2,500 restitution to the Taylor County Board of Education along with $10,316.31 she has to pay to the West Virginia Board of Risk and Insurance Management.
Efaw's attorney, Thomas Dyer, pleaded with the court to give his client a lesser sentence stating she has already made restitution for approximately $1,000.
"We also have an additional $5,000 today that we can pay toward the amount. If permitted to serve on an alternative sentence, we feel that within two to four months, Mrs. Efaw will have all restitution paid off," Dyer said.
Taylor County Prosecuting Attorney John Board wanted the court to hand down a stricter sentence.
"The state believes that she has already been given a great deal of consideration in the matter," Bord said. "She was indicted on 17 counts and allowed to plead to just three. The state is asking that she be punished for her actions."
The investigation began when Efaw's school principal contacted authorities. The grand jury indicted her for three counts of embezzlement, one count of fraudulent schemes and 13 counts of falsifying accounts.
Efaw admitted she put a number of teachers at the school at risk by naming them on the documents she falsified to try and cover her missteps. She even admitted that she had made so many purchases she could not accurately recall which she dipped into for her misdeeds — the Teacher's Account or Faculty Senate Funds.
Bord characterized her theft as that of simple greed.
"This is a white-collar crime, and the public often feels like those crimes go unpunished. But any theft needs punished," Hoxie said. "This court is sympathetic to the children and has weighed the effect that a long prison term could have on them, but that does not outweigh what needs to be done."
However, Hoxie said he was concerned about the timeframes involving Efaw's thefts. He said she began her job at the school in June 2022 and began the thefts only five months later in November. He said she only stopped stealing because she got caught.
"This court has no doubt that you would have continued your actions had the principal not caught you," Hoxie said. "By falsifying the records, you put teachers in jeopardy of losing their jobs or being charged for the crime. You could have destroyed lives. You say you're sorry, but the court sees very minimal remorse from you."
"The Court finds that this is not a victimless crime," states the sentencing order. "That the Defendant could have been charged with other crimes in other counties and was not."
The sentencing document also states that Efaw "is not a good and suitable candidate for alternative sentencing based on her criminal history."
Efaw's initial embezzlement sentence will run consecutively to her two other sentences. When she is paroled, she will begin two two-and-a-half-year probation sentences that will also be run consecutively.
Reach Eric Cravey at 304-367-2523.
