Former Monroe City Engineer Indicted for Payroll Fraud

FRIDAY:

Sinyale Morrison was processed Friday at Ouachita Correctional Center.

According to her attorney, she was released on her own recognizance.

Morrison is due back on court on March 18 at 9 a.m. for her arraignment.

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A Former Monroe City Engineer will turn herself in Friday to face payroll fraud charges. All of this after a grand jury handed down their decision to a judge.

Former Monroe City Engineer, Sinyale Morrison, and city employee, Richardo Nance, will each face charges. The Grand Jury's decision was handed down to Judge Scott Leehy just before 10 AM Friday. This after a marathon grand jury meeting the day before.

"This was exceptionally long,the longest I've been apart of.  I've been doing this for 20 years," says assistant District Attorney Neal Johnson about Thursday's meeting.

Grand Jury members listened to seven witnesses; including Sinayle Morrison. She faced questioning for two hours. After nearly 10 hours a decision was made.

Morrison's attorney, Charles Kincade, says the indictment isn't a shock and that Morrison is disappointed.

"She feels the same way she always feels. She's upbeat and ready to air this in a public courtroom," says Kincade.

 Johnson says it has been a long investigation, and he's ready to see how this will play out in a courtroom, "We wanted to give it a trial run on this just to see how it will air out with fair minded people."

The case stems back to a 2011 audit.  The audit suggested Morrison may have violated state law when she hired an employee and paid him for work he had not done.

That former employee is Richardo Nance. Nance, who no longer works for the city, will also face one count of payroll fraud.

If convicted both could face $1,000 in fines and up to five years in prison.