Former DMV official arrested on embezzlement charges

Friday, July 31, 2009

Mava Terhaar, 51, an employee of the Elmore County Department of Motor Vehicles, was arrested Thursday night on charges related to the alleged embezzlement of more than $270,000 from the DMV office.

After being booked into the Elmore County Jail on six counts of misuse of public funds, following her arrest by Elmore County Sheriff's Office deputies, Terhaar posted a $10,000 bond and was released. The maximum penalty, if convicted, is 14 years in prison and a $10,000 fine on each count.

She is scheduled to appear in Elmore County Magistrate Court before Judge George Hicks on Aug. 12, at which time it will be determined as to whether or not there is probable cause to bind her over to district court on the charges. The warrant detailing specifics of the case remained sealed by the courts as of Friday morning.

Terhaar began working in the DMV in October of 1987. According to Detective Clint Andrus of the Elmore County Sheriff's Office, "we've got documentation since 2000," concerning the alleged improprieties.

Local authorities were initially alerted to the possible embezzlement in June by the Idaho Department of Transportation, and began their investigation immediately. The case itself, due to possible conflicts of interest, was turned over by county prosecutor Kristina Schindele to the Ada County Prosecutor's Office. After reviewing the investigation they issued a warrant for Terhaar's arrest Thursday, July 30.

According to Andrus, Terhaar allegedly would enter all the proper information into the DMV computer, showing a plate or tag had been purchased. Then, after the registration was entered, with the proper payment listed, it was deleted, and then re-entered without any amount, which was then allegedly pocketed. That process would mean that the state, believing the plates or tags had been paid for, would then issue them.

Andrus said a similar case, using a similar method, had occurred in Canyon County earlier this year, at which time IDT began looking at the rest of the state "to see if it was happening anywhere else." An ITD forensic specialist began looking at where the greatest losses were, and Elmore County was one of "three or four counties" that were flagged by the specialist for further investigation, he said.

Shortly after Elmore County detectives began their investigation, Terhaar was placed on administrative leave, with pay. As the investigation proceeded she was suspended without pay, then given a notice that she would be terminated. A termination hearing was held at her request, but a few days later she notified the county that she would not pursue her appeal rights, and she was fired on July 6.

Andrus said the investigation is continuing, and the dollar amount allegedly taken "continues to rise."

He also said that other arrests and other charges involving additional suspects are likely. The other individuals being investigated are not current county employees.

"I think you'll see more charges will be filed down the road," he said, without disclosing who those individuals are, or indicating how they may have been involved in the case currently under investigation.

"We'll keep going with it and do anything we can to get anyone who might have involvement with it, because every time you go down a county or state road and see a pothole it's one more pothole that can't be fixed, because the money was placed somewhere else. It's money not put where it was needed," he noted.

The local DMV office is technically under the jurisdiction of the Elmore County Assessor's Office.

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  • If you are guilty Ms. Terhaar shame on you.

    -- Posted by justanotheropinion on Fri, Jul 31, 2009, at 12:25 PM
  • *

    Gee she handled my motorhome title & plates(which she junked title) took me hours of calling to Boise to get it all straighted out.

    -- Posted by workingbee on Fri, Jul 31, 2009, at 1:38 PM
  • Mava-Mava-Mava! I guess the taxpayers paid her bond. Greed. You had a good gig. Hope it was all worth it. I hope they get the rest of them. What took so long to figure out the scam? Sounds like the person in charge of audits did a crappy job as well.

    -- Posted by OpinionMissy on Fri, Jul 31, 2009, at 3:34 PM
  • The assessor and county commissioners are also responsible and should be held accountable for not auditing the financials in the Dept of Motor Vehicles. Voters need to remember this at election time, otherwise, the asssessor and commissioners have to report to no one but the voters. Nine years this has been going on? They should be held accountable along with Terhaar.

    -- Posted by RocketMan on Fri, Jul 31, 2009, at 3:41 PM
  • this is nothing compaired to what the prosicuter is doing with our tax dollars if the readers would wake up and look at how much money she spends on trying to convict a person after he has beaten her twice now shes going for a third time my question is this how much money do we tax payers have to pay for our county officals to run amuck as they do ill bet that mava dont get a day due to the payoffs that will keep her out of jail

    THE GOOD OLD BOY SYSTEM AT ITS FINEST

    -- Posted by stylin88 on Fri, Jul 31, 2009, at 5:05 PM
  • stylin88

    Wow, all that in one sentence.

    -- Posted by outtathere on Fri, Jul 31, 2009, at 5:27 PM
  • she 51 and maybe doing some serious time, Girl I feel for ya, I'd hate to do that much time at 51, but if ya can't do the time, don't do the Crime

    Prison Prison Prison,,, Prob get a rider

    -- Posted by Freedom on Fri, Jul 31, 2009, at 9:36 PM
  • thier has to be other poeple who worked at the dmv that was doing the same thing as mava in the mtn home dmv....

    -- Posted by shorty lc on Sat, Aug 1, 2009, at 10:45 PM
  • I worked a fast food job where at the end of the day, if so much as a dollar was missing from the til, per the day's register receipts, or the food count didn't exactly match was sold + leftover, heads rolled. How weak is the system in place that plates/registrations could be issued with no money paid for them? Is there no form of 'balancing the books' in these offices? Who knows how many offices were pulling this stunt, and how many other employees at other state agencies are able to get away with similar scams? No wonder we can't balance our state budget.

    -- Posted by jusolme on Sun, Aug 2, 2009, at 5:44 PM
  • Man, I applied there once, sure glad I didnt get the job!! I always knew something seemed sneaky about her!!

    -- Posted by tom44 on Mon, Aug 3, 2009, at 8:26 AM
  • I love Mava. I am so sad about this. Mava was one of my favorite people at the DMV. So helpful.

    My prayers go out to her. Just makes me sad :-(

    -- Posted by cindy strickland on Mon, Aug 3, 2009, at 1:41 PM
  • *

    Mava may be a nice person but she choose to do what she did (if she is guilty) and there fore gets no sympathy from this taxpayer. She stole not only from me but my family and many others. I say if she is proven guilty, then she should pay the price just as any other criminal should.

    -- Posted by B Mullen on Mon, Aug 3, 2009, at 8:22 PM
  • *

    She certainly didn't want me to call up to the state office in Boise when I found out she sent the title of my motorhome as Junked....

    -- Posted by workingbee on Mon, Aug 3, 2009, at 10:17 PM
  • We are all human...we all make mistakes (ok, some are MUCH bigger mistakes than others)...and we all have to pay the price. I pray for her and her family. Very, very sad indeed.

    -- Posted by outtathere on Mon, Aug 3, 2009, at 10:45 PM
  • Whats done is done. I have to agree with OM, she had a good job and could have retired in the near future. Her children lost their father in 2007 now they are almost certain to lose their mother for a period of time. Its a sad situation all the way around. Mava is one the nicest people I have ever known but it doesnt change what she may have done.....Thats ALOT of money over a very long period of time. She knew it was wrong and must face the music. Hopefully something like this will not happen again.

    -- Posted by mhg4316 on Mon, Aug 3, 2009, at 11:04 PM
  • outtathere,

    I agree with you, this is a sad situation. It was not a mistake however. If she is found to be guilty, it was done on purpose and for a long period of time. To commit an act like this is a mistake in judgement the first time, after that is simply taking something that is not yours on purpose. I think our society has coddled criminals and called thier acts 'mistakes' for way to long, it is time to call a crook, a crook. Everyone that commits a crime is someones mom, dad, bother, sister or son or daughter but still a criminal. My lowly opinion only.

    -- Posted by jtrotter on Tue, Aug 4, 2009, at 5:00 PM
  • jtrotter

    Instead of 'mistake' I should've said 'choice'. It was her 'choice'....and a very bad one at that. If she is found guilty she is indeed a crook. I would have to agree with that. Also, I do NOT in any way think that we should coddle criminals. They should be required to pay heavily for their crimes and be locked up for a very long time. Nevertheless, this is very sad and I will be praying for her and her family.

    -- Posted by outtathere on Wed, Aug 5, 2009, at 12:39 AM
  • Yes Mava did a stupid thing. Obviously she will pay for this for years to come.

    But lets remember that she has always been one of the nicest,caring and friendly people you will ever meet.

    What is that passage about " Let he who is without sin cast the first stone"?

    You are a good person Mava and will get beyond this.

    I know I am not the only person who will always be happy to know you and be counted as a friend. Barb

    -- Posted by barbhalsell on Wed, Aug 5, 2009, at 10:33 AM
  • *

    Wow...... remember SHE STOLED at least $270,000 from your community... Where is the money? How much have they recovered?

    She must be some good friend to look you right in the eye as you were paying for license plates and after you left pocket your hard earned money...

    -- Posted by workingbee on Wed, Aug 5, 2009, at 2:46 PM
  • barb, thank you for your comment. well said!

    workingbee, you have already convicted her. that's a little premature.

    if convicted, mava was wrong and will pay for her crimes, but that does not mean those who know and love her will or should cast her aside. everyone has his or her own story, struggles, and choices to make. mava has been a member of the community for so many years and she has one of the biggest hearts of anyone you will ever meet.

    it's too early for conclusions and judgment.

    mava, we love you, and will continue giving you love and support, no matter the outcome!

    -- Posted by BlueGirl on Wed, Aug 5, 2009, at 3:31 PM
  • *

    Shortly after Elmore County detectives began their investigation, Terhaar was placed on administrative leave, with pay. As the investigation proceeded she was suspended without pay, then given a notice that she would be terminated. A termination hearing was held at her request, but a few days later she notified the county that she would not pursue her appeal rights....

    If I was innocent I would never give up my appeal rights....

    This was 270,000 dollars from our community... I don't care how long she lived in the community she stole from...

    -- Posted by workingbee on Wed, Aug 5, 2009, at 4:42 PM
  • workingbee, like i said, you have already passed judgment and convicted. it must be nice to sit up in your tower and judge.

    luckily it takes more than waiving an appeal right to convict someone in a court of law.

    -- Posted by BlueGirl on Wed, Aug 5, 2009, at 4:51 PM
  • *

    Blue Girl, lets wait it out and see how it goes..... but like I said what benefit was it to waive her appeal rights...if she is so innocent

    My guess is she cuts a deal and turns the "possible others" in....

    How is it in my tower... I know better to steal from my employer.......

    -- Posted by workingbee on Wed, Aug 5, 2009, at 9:44 PM
  • *

    correction:

    I know better not to steal from my employer

    -- Posted by workingbee on Wed, Aug 5, 2009, at 9:45 PM
  • For such a tight-knit community, it seems we have quite a few people ready to start stoning Mava already. She is one of us. She is a good person, a mom, a friend, a neighbor. Just because she forfeited her appeal does not mean that she's guilty. I'm sure she has her reasons.

    I'm aghast at how quickly we turn on each other here---have we become a society of pit bulls rather than the warm, welcoming, friendly community I thought we lived in?

    -- Posted by campers4 on Wed, Aug 5, 2009, at 11:58 PM
  • campers4,

    This is a tight knit community and that is why people are so willing to turn on those who are suspected of stealing from us. We are all "neighbors" and trust each other to do the right thing. When this trust is violated people tend to react negatively or lash out. If found guilty by our justice system, she is not a good person or a "neighbor", she will become a criminal. Trust is very hard to earn and all too easy to lose.

    -- Posted by jtrotter on Thu, Aug 6, 2009, at 8:50 AM
  • She admitted she did it, said she wasn't getting child support and couldn't live on what the DMV was paying her. So she obviously felt justified in taking the money, at least once. No matter the reason, she kept doing it. SHE ADMITTED IT, people! I don't think they all know just how much she actually took though...She is a nice person, but does that mean she's above the crime she admitted doing?

    -- Posted by mtnhomemama on Thu, Aug 6, 2009, at 9:50 AM
  • campers4

    I do tend to become a pit bull when someone steals from me.

    -- Posted by outtathere on Thu, Aug 6, 2009, at 10:03 AM
  • I think she should do more that just time and a $60,000.00 fine. she should have to pay back all the money she stole from us and beg forgivness from every one of the townspeople that she stole from as well. I think that she should do this (beg forgivness) before she goes to jail. and if she doesnt have the money to repay her "debt", then she can stay in jail, after her sentence is done, at the pre-determined amount earned per day, untill she pays off the $270,000.00. I think the amount earned per day is somthing around $35.00 a day. Which means she would owe us, the town, an additional 7715 days AFTER she completed her 14 year sentence. I have no room in my world for crooks...I am a firm beleiver that if you cant do the time dont do the crime. I also think time off for good behavior is BS as well as the fact we have to pay to house them. seize their assets and make them pay. However much money they can come up with is how good they have it in jail. Why not...we do (pay) and we didnt do anything wrong...of course this is only after she is proven guilty. Just my 2 cents...

    -- Posted by thatguy on Thu, Aug 6, 2009, at 10:40 AM
  • Good people do not steal. She may be a nice person (and I do know Mava) but she took money that was not hers and did it over MANY years. There are a lot of people who have a hard time out there who NEVER rip people off. This went on for years and by MH standards, Mava had a pretty good job. What she did was wrong and she did not "admit" to what she had done until she was caught. Good people do not steal from other people or the community they live in.

    -- Posted by OpinionMissy on Thu, Aug 6, 2009, at 11:24 AM
  • Mava IS one of the nicest people you would ever have the pleasure in knowing. She was my boss when I worked there at the DMV. She was always so kind and helpful to EVERYONE!! I am deeply saddened at what has happened. She made a poor choice, there's no denying that. She will have to pay for what she did but let's not throw her aside!!! I will still stand by her and be her friend!!! Kathy

    -- Posted by marilynmonroefan on Thu, Aug 6, 2009, at 3:40 PM
  • Ok, this is good stuff lets think about this for a second.

    1. She may be a good friend and you will stand beside her; but would you leave your purse or wallet sitting next to her?

    2. Not getting child support is not an excuse I never received any child support; let's see two children X16 years....well I never stole. I would be more inclined to believe it was to support her boy's dirt bike sport. Not for food or cloths.

    3. Not judging but IF convicted she could be making license plates......It does not take a lot to see the humor in that one. Talk about flashbacks.

    4. As for her IF convicted she should pay every dime back and have to serve her time in Elmore County picking up trash on the side of the road her entire sentence. Another lets see.....how long has she been stealing from us. Only if convicted of course and this does not include any plea deal.

    Now I know how soap operas can get addicting.....lol

    -- Posted by Retirmentcanbefun on Thu, Aug 6, 2009, at 7:14 PM
  • thatguy

    seems you have all the solutions to the penal system and exactly how it should be run. take it to the legislature!

    mtnhomemama

    did she admit that directly to you? if so, you should be ashamed of yourself for airing any such information publicly. and if it's just something you heard around town, you should be ashamed of yourself for passing along town gossip.

    -- Posted by BlueGirl on Fri, Aug 7, 2009, at 11:05 AM
  • Huh, isn't this a PUBLIC FORUM? Where the public should know what the truth really is? Ashamed? No I'm not taking any of that today, but thanks anyway.

    -- Posted by mtnhomemama on Fri, Aug 7, 2009, at 11:48 AM
  • Thank you, Bluegirl. Well said. I'll remember to never confide in Mtnhomemama. As for retirementcanbefun...shame on you for bringing the boys into this. They have played no part in anything. I know for a fact that the oldest is an extremely hardworking young man----he's had a job as long as I've known him and probably pays for his own dirtbiking.

    Oh, how we judge...

    -- Posted by campers4 on Fri, Aug 7, 2009, at 1:01 PM
  • Oh yeah...yes I have left my wallet sitting right next to her. Not a penny was missing. I'd do it again today.

    -- Posted by campers4 on Fri, Aug 7, 2009, at 1:04 PM
  • This gets better; I'm not the one that brought up kids check the previous posts from her defenders about child support. I just put my two cents into this public forum or did the 1st amendment get repealed and I just haven't heard about it yet. As for your wallet; I guess she is only attracted to TAX PAYER MONEY not hard earned money. Wow how sensitive some people can be. Let's attack the honest citizens this way it changes the subject or defers the blame for the theft.

    -- Posted by Retirmentcanbefun on Fri, Aug 7, 2009, at 5:35 PM
  • How is it that we provide so much support for criminals on here? Do we not realize that the amount of money Mava stole could have been used for a much needed stop light? She is a criminal. Maybe put some of the energy spent on losers in this town into the victims of these crimes. Stealing since 2000 (at least). Not exactly a lapse in judgment. Sorry she got caught but not sorry for the crime.

    -- Posted by OpinionMissy on Sun, Aug 9, 2009, at 10:58 AM
  • I would like to clarify my post from earlier. I am a FORMER employee. I DO NOT work there and I DO NOT even LIVE in Idaho anymore. I am merely voicing my opinion about my FORMER boss. Please leave the girls alone that work there now. Because what one person perhaps did in an office DOES NOT mean that anyone else there had ANYTHING to do with it!!!! Thank you for listening, Kathy

    -- Posted by marilynmonroefan on Sun, Aug 9, 2009, at 3:15 PM
  • I have my only sibling (sister) that stole from her boss ($25,000) and she is now in prison for 10 years in Nevada. My sister and I were raised in a loving home and no one thought she would ever do such a thing. Yes she is a criminal and yes she lied, stole, etc...but what you all are forgetting is that she is someones daughter, sister, mother and wife. Condemning them and throwing stones does not change the situation. She is going through her own hell, and will have to live with her decision her whole life, even when she gets released. She will go through punishment everyday of her life until she dies then must answer to God. Why did she do it? Why? Why? Why? Please just pray for Mava. Pray for her family. Pray for forgiveness of judging others. Please remember if this was your family member would you be so hateful, condemning and mean?

    -- Posted by rlpj on Mon, Aug 10, 2009, at 12:51 AM
  • rlpj:

    Stealing since at least 2000! $270,000 and still counting. Enough to just about buy a stop light for 18th and AL.

    If you do not want to be front page news---think twice before you do something stupid like this and rip off an entire community. She made her bed. Sorry she got caught not sorry for the crime. If she was still able to "work it" she would still be doing it. I know Mava. Love her smile and her warm way. When I heard this story, it was hard to believe. It does not change what she has done it just makes her "nice" while she was doing it.

    -- Posted by OpinionMissy on Mon, Aug 10, 2009, at 9:32 AM
  • Bluegirl,

    I never said I have all the answers to our penal system. I simply gave my opinion. However I will say that I am a fan of public floggings...I think I will bring that up at the next town meeting. Will you be there? I will...

    -- Posted by thatguy on Mon, Aug 10, 2009, at 10:14 AM
  • P.S.

    Just trying to keep all this drama going because a thief and a cheat is getting all this attention...I dont care how "nice" she is or how her smmile could lite up a room. she is what she is. A thief who stole from our community. The money she syole could have been utilized to help the kids of this town...YOUR KIDS! maybe it could have been used to fund a better drug awareness program, or better yet to fund more police to protect you from the other dirtbags out there. But alas...it went instead to a greedy thief that used it for her own gains and she got caught. Oh well. I hope she has fun thjinking about all that cash while she is sitting in a cell somplace and her kids are crying because she is a thief. Nothing more and nothing less.

    -- Posted by thatguy on Mon, Aug 10, 2009, at 10:24 AM
  • Let her have her day in court and be convicted for the crimes she is being acused of. She will have to pay for her mistake in more than one way. This is the wrong way to teach your children though, any moral being. She will have alot to think about while locked up, if she even gets any jail time. There are worse criminals out there and she needs to be punsihed if found guilty. She will never find a decent job with a felony record, like I said she will pay for her crime which she deserve's in more than one way, lets see what the justice system hands her.

    -- Posted by lowrider69 on Tue, Aug 11, 2009, at 4:06 AM
  • "See what the justice system hands her." Yeah...let us see. She stole money that would have funded traffic control and roads...like fixing our streets.

    -- Posted by OpinionMissy on Tue, Aug 11, 2009, at 8:24 AM
  • someone please get OpinionMissy a stoplight!!

    thatguy... i agree that stolen money could have been put to better use, but too bad you named two of the WORST places to put it in the community... drug awareness and more cops??

    DARE is the worst program ever and the cops dont have anything to do as it is... you want MORE?

    please!

    let's clear one thing up... NO ONE here has said if guilty mava should not have to pay the consequences. did anyone say that? i didn't see it...

    -- Posted by BlueGirl on Wed, Aug 12, 2009, at 11:04 AM
  • *

    I have to agree with BlueGirl, Opinionmissy is on my nerves. Someone please give this women a job, besides sitting on the mountain home news website posting comments about EVERYTHING. Seriously half the time is another political agenda.

    Let's see this go to court before we all start making so many judgements!

    -- Posted by airforcewive on Wed, Aug 12, 2009, at 5:22 PM
  • AFW, I do have a job. Thank you for your concern. Moron.

    -- Posted by OpinionMissy on Wed, Aug 12, 2009, at 9:08 PM
  • *

    Wow, amazing there Ms. Lauric (opinionmissy) thought this was a place to express our comments. You said so yourself you don't like it don't read. But how is calling me a "moron" or a "idiot" going to help. Just shows how unclassy you are. My opinion is my opinion too, I don't call people names if I don't agree. Do us all a favor and sign yourself of for some etiquette classes.

    -- Posted by airforcewive on Thu, Aug 13, 2009, at 12:59 PM
  • AFW,

    Please read what you have written, I believe you threw the first punch. You only get what you give.

    -- Posted by jtrotter on Thu, Aug 13, 2009, at 1:35 PM
  • I do have to say if everyone commenting on this is a "mature" adult...I find most of you quite childish.

    -- Posted by br33zy<3 on Thu, Aug 13, 2009, at 2:18 PM
  • People really need to remember the issue that is at hand here. An amazing mother is facing seirous time for a crime she may have committed. This is not the place to be bashing each other, if you were really that angery about something someone else has said go out and duke it out in person becuase that sadly shows a higher matuity level that was is being shown now. Back to the point Mava is an extrodinary person, and as I read these horrible things said bout her my heart just falls. This woman has done everything for everyone that she cares about, she is really a selfless woman. I do not care about if she stole the money or not because no matter what she will still be the selfless person she always has shown me. There are a lot of people in this town that love her and would do anything for her. This whole issue has all of us unalbe to sleep easy and helping out as much as possible. For you people that comment blindly about her I just would like you to know how many people are hurt by ur words...I love her and We are all behind her.

    -- Posted by horsegirl27 on Thu, Aug 13, 2009, at 4:57 PM
  • I agree. Mava is a very sweet person. I know she cares more about everyone else then herself...she tried to make everyone happy it was never about her. Yes she did the wrong thing by taking money that wasn't hers to take. I still love her and my prayers go out to her and her family they are a good family and I also stand beside them. And seeing these people so quick to judge and bash her and the family breaks my heart.

    -- Posted by br33zy<3 on Thu, Aug 13, 2009, at 5:05 PM
  • I am sure that Charles Manson's mother and friends said the same things about him. How many times have we seen the neighbors of mass murders say they seemed to be normal people, or family members/friends say this person could have never done anything like this?

    Is it human nature to protect those that we love or are close to? Of course it is. I believe it is a combination of that and our unwillingness to believe that someone we trust with anything we have would commit a crime like Ms. Terhaar is accused of. I am not putting Ms. Terhaar in the same class as a mass murderer, just using that for an example. I won't pretend to understand why someone would steal from their community, but I will say that I don't consider them selfless. Unfortunately, no one but her attorney can help her now.

    -- Posted by jtrotter on Thu, Aug 13, 2009, at 5:37 PM
  • I aslo do not understand and will not try to understand why she did it. To me its a crime which she should be punished for. But I can't turn my back on someone who has always shown kindness to me never judged me and would be willing to take me in with open arms, even though she has committed this crime she is still that same loving caring person and thats how I will always see her. I believe she just didn't realize how she was hurting anyone by doing the crime. I don't believe she ever meant to hurt anyone either.

    -- Posted by br33zy<3 on Fri, Aug 14, 2009, at 8:02 AM
  • Selfless? That is an interesting take on the situation. I have never known a "selfless" thief. Stealing/theft is a crime of personal gain not for the benefit of all. While she may be a good mom and a great friend, she stole from an entire community over many, many years. Selfless crime. Wow!! There are those rose colored glasses again.

    -- Posted by OpinionMissy on Fri, Aug 14, 2009, at 8:17 AM
  • Bluegirl...

    Are you for real? The cops have more going on than the simple folk, like yourself, realize. I would encourage you to do a ride along with ECSO or MHPD. It will be an eye opener for you. And for drug awareness...are YOU on dope? There is more than just one way to skin a cat...or keep kids off dope. DARE is a good program although a little dated, it still works. However there are other ways to educate and enforce standards and laws than you may not have thought of. Not to mention the fact that if we had more cops out there stopping the meth houses and routing them (Dealers and cooks) out from our town/county, that would be yet another form of drug awareness. But, because the county is $250,000.00 pooorer then it should be, this is a moot point. I would be willing to give pretty good odds that you would be one of the first people to cry foul if you where touched by crime. So, (back on point), yea...I dont find this woman remotely amazing, extraordinary, nor selfless. I find her to be a thief, a cheat, and selfish to a fault, untill she is found otherwise by a jury. However at that time it will be to late because while everyone else is being PC about this whole situation...I will tell it like it is. She stole a lot of money and got caught. it is up to her to convince me and the rest of the town of her inocence, which will take more than a "Not Guilty" from a panel of her peers. Because she has branded herself by getting caught up in something that has ruined her name for a long time to come. untill that happens, I will continue to call her what she is...a criminal out on bail...or a thief and a cheat.

    -- Posted by thatguy on Mon, Aug 17, 2009, at 9:39 AM
  • Okay, it is time to chime in with my opinion, and unlike "Thatguy", I WILL stay on topic instead of drifting into the DARE program and ride with a cop. IF...note the word...IF Mava did what she is accused of it is up to the County and State judicial system to decide, not "Thatguy". He already has her convicted, sentenced, and put away for a long, long time. I was always under the impression that a person accused of a crime was INNOCENT until PROVEN guilty. That's the beauty of our judicial process. Admission of guilt is meaningless until admitted in a court of law. I can walk into any police dept right now and confess to killing Michael Jackson, but my guilty plea has to be accepted by THE COURT. A confession doesn't mean I did it, just that I said I did. "Thatguy"'s comments just make it harder and harder to find an impartial jury, which this case may go to if Mava decides to plead Not Guilty, which is HER RIGHT under law. The County and State have to prove her guilt. Mava doesn't have to prove a doggone thing!

    -- Posted by Ramjett on Tue, Aug 18, 2009, at 10:05 AM
  • All I said was what the rest of the world is afraid to say. Case in point...a kid that was acused of smoking dope...whether he did or not...is blackballed by the community. It is up to HIM to change that public opinion. Therfore...it is up to HER to change my mind. I will admit that I am not a PC kinda guy. I call them as I see them. And yes...it will be extremely hard for her to find an impartial jury in this county. Welcome to the real world. Unfortunately that is how it really works. It looks good on paper that you are innocent until proven guilty. However, as I stated in the example, it really doesnt happen that way in our country. The only way to not be draged down by somthing is NOT put yourself in that position to begin with. Unfortunately, she put herself in the position she is in...whether she did it or not...simply by being there. It should also be noted that just because an addmition of guilt isnt addmisable in a court of law, it is in the court of public opinion. It may suck, but thats the way it is.

    -- Posted by thatguy on Tue, Aug 18, 2009, at 2:43 PM
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