Former Tax Collector Sentenced to Probation
by Amanda Jones
Echo News Editor
A former Cameron County tax collector was sentenced Tuesday on charges related to her failure to deposit payments made by her constituents.
Melinda Buchanan, age 38, of Driftwood, will serve three years on probation following her entry of a guilty plea to one misdemeanor count of theft by failure to make required distribution of funds.
Buchanan had originally been facing multiple felony charges, as she failed to turn over more than $16,000 that was scheduled to be collected in taxes throughout 2015. The money, along with monthly reports of collections, was due to county officials on January 15, 2015.