SPRINGFIELD — A mountain of gambling debt led the former city clerk of Lincoln to steal more than $46,500 in taxpayer funds over the course of two years.
On Monday, Melanie Riggs was sentenced to three months in a federal prison in connection with the theft, which took place in 2007 and 2008.
Riggs, 49, also will serve five months of home confinement and repay the money she stole under terms of a sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Jeanne Scott.
Riggs, who was elected to the post in 2005 after serving as deputy clerk for more than a decade, resigned last year after being caught misdirecting city checks for her own use.
She pleaded guilty to the theft charges in September, blaming an escalating gambling addiction for leading her to embezzle the money.
Although Riggs’ attorney asked for no jail time, Scott said a prison sentence was in order because Riggs was a public official.
“Everybody who embezzles thinks they are going to pay it back before anyone notices it is gone,” the judge said.
In an apology written to former Lincoln Mayor Beth Davis-Kavelman, Riggs said numerous losing visits to the Par-a-Dice casino in East Peoria had left her with crushing debt.
“When I ran out of money from my savings, I started getting cash advances off of my multiple credit card accounts, not only to support my addiction but also to pay my bills,” she wrote in the four-page letter, which was included in court documents.
Riggs admitted she photocopied city checks without completing the payee, then placed a legitimate payee’s name on the copy which was given to the deputy clerk for posting.
On the original check, Riggs made the city of Lincoln the payee, cashed the check, and used the funds for her personal use.
The apology to the mayor was among 24 Riggs sent to various Lincoln officials in an attempt to explain how she is trying to recover from her downfall, which includes filing for bankruptcy.
“What started out as excitement turned into an addiction,” Riggs told the judge. “I’m truly sorry for what I did.”
Riggs says she has joined a support group for gambling addicts and has added her name to the list of people who are prohibited from entering Illinois casinos.
She also is making $12 an hour working as a seasonal tax preparer in Lincoln.
She’ll use money from that job, as well as about $24,000 from her city retirement account to begin paying back the money.
“I am not the same person I was up until Feb. 9, 2009. I am back to being the person that a lot of you knew before gambling took control of my life,” she wrote in the letter.
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