From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
MONTGOMERY – A former employee of the Alabama Department of Public Health was convicted for stealing more than $18,000 from that agency, according to Attorney General Steve Marshall.
Crystal Laschell Fountain, 45, of Montgomery, pleaded guilty on Thursday to first-degree theft of property. She was sentenced in Montgomery County Circuit Court to two years imprisonment and was ordered to pay full restitution, reported authorities.
“The people of Alabama deserve to have confidence that taxpayers’ money will be used for its proper public purpose,” Marshall said. “I am pleased that this defendant has been held to account and will be punished for abusing her position and betraying the public trust. Our citizens may be assured that, while most government employees are honest and dedicated public servants, those who commit violations will be prosecuted.”
Officials said Fountain, a former administrative support assistant with the Alabama Department of Public Health, stole the money over a five-year period during her employment with the agency. She worked for the Office of Emergency Medical Services division of the Alabama Department of Public Health between February 2012 and July 2017, where she was responsible for collecting emergency personnel application fees. One month after she began work, she began pocketing some of the cash emergency personnel application fees. An audit found that over five years, Fountain stole $18,398.30. Fountain has since resigned and must repay the entire amount. Fountain’s sentence will be suspended, and she will be placed on two years’ probation to allow her to pay full restitution and all associated court costs and fees.