The former utility clerk of McArthur, Cathy Stoughton, has found herself on the wrong side of the law, facing multiple felony charges. According to a press release from the Ohio Auditor of State's office, the Vinton County Grand Jury handed down an indictment that includes one count of theft in office, four counts of tampering with records, and a misdemeanor for soliciting improper compensation.
In the position since January 2004, Stoughton managed everything related to utility billings—from preparation to payment collection. Mismanaged, however, seemed to have been the flow of cash, as the State’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU), triggered by irregularities turned up during a routine financial audit in March 2024, started digging deep. They hit paydirt when they found portions of utility payments had not made it to the bank between January 2021 and April 2024. The investigation, as told by the SIU, is still underway.
During her tenure, stretching up until July 2025, the extent of Stoughton's alleged misdeeds wasn’t a brief affair. The SIU's detective work pointed towards a systematic failure to deposit segments of water and sewer bill payments, with a tally still being added up. The implications of these actions not only paint a grim picture of trust betrayed but also indicate a breach of the covenant of public service.
The SIU, a watchdog that barked up 143 convictions and over $13 million in restitutions since 2019, is no stranger to sniffing out fiscal foul play. Following the trail blazed by hundreds of tips they receive each year, Stoughton’s case sparks another marker on their map of misconduct. For those smelling something less than fragrant in their own backyards, SIU invites the public to serve up anonymous tips online or through a dedicated fraud hotline at 866-FRAUD-OH (866-372-8364).
As the justice wheels turn, what comes next for Stoughton remains hinged on the outcomes of a process that inherently promises fair treatment under the law. In the meantime, the village of McArthur must navigate the unsettled waters left in the wake of this financial scandal, with the greater community left to ponder the integrity of those they entrust with their hard-earned dollars.
