Former Durango Finance Director Accused of Theft/Embezzlement

Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 10:21 AM

Court documents show former Durango Finance Director Julie Brown is accused of stealing almost $500,000 from the city of Durango.

From the City of Durango

July 8, 2020

The La Plata County District Court has signed the arrest warrant for Julie Brown, the former Finance Director of the City of Durango. Ms. Brown is being charged with: Theft of $100,000.00 or more but less than $1,000,000.00, as defined by C.R.S. 18-4- 401(1)(a),(2)(i),class 3 felony; Identity Theft, as defined by C.R.S. I 8-5-902(1)(c), a class 4 felony; Embezzlement of Public Property, as defined by C.R.S. 18-8-407(1), a class 5 felony; and Forgery, as defined by C.R.S. 18-5-102(1)(c),(e), a class 5 felony. Bail has been set at $25,000. The District Attorney’s office will seek to modify the bond to a personal recognizance bond so that Ms. Brown can be released from jail, while her case is pending. The jail is currently experiencing excess capacity and is having difficulty maintaining social distancing sufficient to maintain a safe jail environment. The bond statute presumes that defendants should be released on the least restrictive conditions taking into account the safety of the community and whether the person is a flight risk. Given the underlying facts of this case, the District Attorney does not consider Ms. Brown to be a safety risk to the community; and her willingness to cooperate with CBI these last nine months suggests that she is not a flight risk.

More from Local News

AirCare adds Second Airplane

AirCare 3 is a Pilatus PC-12 Legacy. It joins AirCare 1, a Bell 429 twin engine helicopter, and AirCare 2, a Pilatus PC-12 NGX, all owned by San Juan Regional Medical Center and operated by Air Methods.
San Juan County Celebrates New Extension Office

The San Juan County Extension Service Building project is one of 14 projects funded by $13 million recovered in New Mexico’s 2022 settlements with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA contractors, and mining defendants for injuries to natural resources resulting from the August 2015 Gold King Mine blowout.
2024 Election: San Juan County Contested Races

These are the unofficial election results from voting on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 of the contested races in San Juan County, NM.
Local Freight Rail to receive up to $4 Million more for project

The (Four Corners Freight Rail) project aligns with the selection criteria by enhancing resilience and improving system and service performance, as the project will provide a viable freight transportation modal alternative to highway trucking, opportunities to simplify the supply chain, and enable new, rail-dependent economic development opportunities thereby imparting benefits to the Navajo Nation and surrounding communities.
Teen Boy Fatally Stabbed, Mother Beaten, Juvenile Suspect Arrested

The victim is a 12-year old boy who died of apparent stab wounds. A second victim, believed to be the suspect’s mother, sustained injuries from a blunt object attack and is being treated at CommonSpirit Mercy Hospital in Durango. The names of the victims are being withheld as the investigation is ongoing. The incident was reported by a motorist who was involved in a single vehicle accident shortly after 7 a.m., believed to have been caused by the suspect as he fled the residence on Snowy Peaks Way. Deputies discovered the scene when they arrived to investigate the accident.
Woman & Bystander Fatally Shot in Farmington

Andrew Wittenberg has been charged with aggravated burglary, larceny of a firearm, two counts of first-degree murder, and tampering with evidence. The investigation is still ongoing, and more information will be provided as it becomes available.