Spring Lake’s former finance director pleads guilty to embezzlement

SPRING LAKE — Former Spring Lake Finance Director Gay Cameron Tucker pleaded guilty on Wednesday to embezzling more than $500,000 from the town, the office of United States Attorney Michael Easley announced.

A news release says Tucker, 64, pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from a local government receiving federal funds, and one count of aggravated identity theft. She could be sentenced to up to 12 years in prison, it says.

“Tucker, 64, of Fayetteville, wrote checks from the Town’s bank accounts for her personal use, forging the signatures of other town officials, including the mayor and town manager.  These forged checks were made payable to herself, used to cover her personal expenses, and deposited into bank accounts she controlled,” the news release says.

These thefts occurred from 2016 to 2012, it says. In that time, Tucker was an accounting technician and later the finance director.

Tucker was arrested in June.

This is a developing story and will be updated.