A court hearing to revoke the probation of a former Jonesville clerk-treasurer convicted of stealing town funds has been postponed.
The hearing for Melissa Schultheis, 44, had been scheduled for Monday in Bartholomew Circuit Court, but was rescheduled for 11 a.m. Dec. 3.
A state audit in late 2007 revealed that Jonesville was missing thousands of dollars in its accounts. Schultheis, who served as Jonesville clerk-treasurer from September 1998 to January 2008, pleaded guilty almost a year later to 10 counts of theft.
Although then-Bartholomew Circuit Court Judge Stephen Heimann suspended her 15-year sentence, Schultheis was ordered by the judge to make restitution payments of $300 a month until she had paid back $92,475.
While the criminal court judgment against Schulthesis was reduced to a civil judgment in 2013, this is the fifth time a petition to revoke her probation had been filed after she was accused of repeatedly falling behind in her payments.
During a hearing on the third revocation petition in early 2017, Schultheis had her probation extended three years to 2027 — and was ordered to spend 30 days in jail.
Schultheis said the money she stole was used to pay for medical expenses for two children with physical problems.
But during last year’s hearing when she was ordered to jail, Heimann said Schultheis had “zero credibility,” saying she had lied and been dishonest through the course of the proceedings.
Heimann, who presided as a special judge in the case, also ordered Schultheis to complete 24 hours of community service per week during any week in which she is not employed at least 35 hours per week at a job that withholds taxes and provides a W2 or other comparable tax documents.
Heimann also ordered Schultheis to bring her monthly pay records to her probation officer during regular appointments. She also is required to provide a written report from a physician if she’s unable to work due to a medical condition.
When Schultheis did not meet all conditions, the fourth petition to revoke her probation was filed in August 2017.
Court records state the issue was resolved a few months later, but a fifth petition to revoke her probation was filed on July 18.
