VIENNA — The township’s former fiscal officer faces charges that accuse her of using township bank accounts to pay for personal and private transactions.

Linda McCullough, who served as fiscal officer from 2019 to early 2024, was indicted by a Trumbull County grand jury Wednesday on two counts of theft in office, four counts of tampering with records and a charge of telecommunications fraud.

Specifically, the indictment accuses McCullough of using her elected position to pay personal credit card bills as well as personal and private business charges at several stores, including Pitt Stop Drive Thru, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Tractor Supply and Partzilla.

The indictment also alleges McCullough electronically transferred the money from township bank accounts, and created, entered and submitted false records to conceal the transactions.

The value of the property or service stolen is between $7,500 and $150,000, according to the indictment.

McCullough declined to comment Wednesday. She directed calls to her attorney, J. Gerald Ingram, who did not return a message seeking comment.

McCullough is scheduled to be arraigned 1:30 p.m. Nov. 6 before Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Judge Cynthia Westcott Rice.

The township announced $1 million budgeted dollars were reported missing in February, explaining they didn’t have money to pay their employees. Two police officers and three firefighters were laid off, and officials intended to forgo salaries until the situation was resolved.

Trustees found more than $1 million was transferred from the township’s money market account to its checking over the past year, leaving several hundred thousand dollars in outstanding bills.

Trustees weren’t aware of the fiscal status of the township up to that point, according to previous reports.

The trustees requested McCullough be removed for “failure to perform her fiscal duties.” She ultimately resigned, not leaving a trained replacement in her place.

Rhonda Root, who took over for her in May, resigned two months after replacing her, citing physical and mental exhaustion but thanking trustees for the opportunity to serve the township. Corinne Hardman was sworn in as fiscal officer a month later.

McCullough defended the missing funds in March. And claimed that it was spent on the fire department’s overtime and on equipment. She added she brought the issue of overtime spending to the attention of township trustees.

The Ohio Auditor’s Office placed Vienna in fiscal emergency in July after confirming the township was more than $1 million in debt.

Marc Kovac, the office’s spokesman, said Wednesday the investigation is still ongoing and the officer has no further comment.

TRUSTEES REACTION

Trustee Phil Pegg said he would like McCullough, if convicted, to be prosecuted to the “fullest extent of the law.”

“She tried to financially destroy our community,” Pegg said.

Pegg said trustees have “known from the beginning,” but couldn’t leak details because he was going to have to testify.

“We knew, but we didn’t know, you know what I’m saying. Again, if I leave my car keys out on the table and tomorrow morning, they’re gone, somebody took them because I didn’t move them, correct?” Pegg said. “It’s the same thing.”

Pegg acknowledged critics of the trustees on social media, saying it’s “easier to judge, (but) it’s a lot harder to find the truth.”

“The trustees have been judged over and over and over by a small group in our community. But they didn’t know the truth. It was easy to put that out there,” Pegg said.

Michael Haddle, who was sworn in as trustee in May amid the crisis, said he hopes the indictment can bring closure and answers to the community.

“It’s going to add some more questions, but hopefully we start to put this behind us and move forward,” Haddle said. “And there’s still more questions out there; and there’s going to be more things that are going to come out in trial, but I don’t really have a comment until things play out more.”

Trustee Richard Dascenzo could not be reached for comment.