Court clerk arrested by Auditor’s Office for extortion

WOODVILLE — State Auditor Stacey Pickering took control of the Wilkinson County Justice Court Clerk’s Office Feb. 17 following an investigation that led to the arrest of Justice Court Clerk Wanda Faye Fountain for extortion.

Fountain, 53, of Woodville, is charged with extortion for collecting unauthorized fees, Mississippi Code 97-11-33. The State Auditor officially closed the Justice Court Clerk’s Office in Wilkinson County in order for auditors and special agents to determine the cash on hand.

Pickering said, “This covert operation in Wilkinson County is one of several undercover operations being conducted by the State Auditor’s Office across Mississippi where we have received allegations of public employees taking bribes to fix traffic citations. Our special agents do an excellent job on behalf of the taxpayers of Mississippi to ensure that public employees and elected officials are held to the highest level of accountability.”

The State Auditor’s Office alleges that Fountain collected money in exchange for the improper disposal of traffic citations, and that these funds were not properly deposited into the Justice Court of Wilkinson County and the tickets were not forwarded to the Department of Public Safety for entry on driving history records.

Fountain was booked at the Adams Country Sheriff’s Office. Her bond was set at $5,000.