Ex-university researcher pleads guilty to stealing

HANCOCK COUNTY — According to State Auditor Stacey Pickering, Stacie Stroud, former employee of Mississippi State University, has pled guilty to embezzling approximately $34,315 by using her state-issued procurement credit card for personal purchases.

Stroud, 33, was an employee at MSU’s research facility located at the Stennis Space Center in Hancock County from Sept. 2007–Feb. 2009. She was sentenced to four years of probation under the supervision of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

MSU’s internal auditors discovered the discrepancies with Stroud’s state-issued procurement card and reported the allegations to the State Auditor’s Office in Feb. 2009.

Stroud pled guilty to misusing her procurement card for personal purchases including her neighborhood homeowner’s dues, a birthday party, payment on her student account at MSU, Amazon.com, Office Depot and the campus bookstore. In addition to the use of her procurement card, Stroud also charged personal fuel expenses to a Chevron fuel card, property of the University.

The State Auditor’s Office took exception to approximately $42,691, which includes approximately $34,315 in principal, approximately $1,511 in interest and approximately $6,864 in investigative costs. Stroud repaid approximately $42,691 to the court following her appearance in court Dec. 9.