Tamara Clevenger, the former Clerk-Treasurer for the City of Morton in Lewis County, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud. This plea comes after a nine-year embezzlement scheme that resulted in nearly $1 million being stolen from city funds. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller.
Clevenger held her position from 2012 to 2022, and it was an audit conducted by the Washington State Auditor in 2024 that uncovered the embezzlement totaling $937,584. Her sentencing is scheduled for July 7, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright.
Court records and the plea agreement reveal Clevenger employed various methods to misappropriate funds. Between November 2015 and December 2021, she took at least $311,727 in cash payments meant for city services. To cover up these thefts, she issued fraudulent city checks matching the stolen amounts and also made unauthorized withdrawals using Morton's ATM card.
Additionally, between February 2013 and December 2021, Clevenger wrote city checks amounting to at least $625,857 payable to herself which she deposited into her personal bank account. She utilized pre-signed checks intended for emergencies and created fake vendor invoices to justify these transactions as legitimate city expenses. Her fraudulent activities involved interstate wire transfers of funds between different bank accounts; one instance included transferring $5,808 from Washington to Umpqua Bank servers located out-of-state.
In response to this incident, Morton has implemented new procedures ensuring no single individual controls all banking functions.
Clevenger has agreed to repay the City of Morton and will receive credit for $8,626 previously deposited into city accounts via ATMs.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and IRS alongside the Washington State Auditor’s Office. Wire fraud carries a potential sentence of up to twenty years imprisonment; however, prosecutors have recommended a three-year term. Judge Cartwright retains discretion over sentencing decisions within legal guidelines.
Assistant United States Attorney Amanda McDowell is handling prosecution duties for this case.
