The county clerk in Harrison County is jailed on felony charges of stealing almost $159,000 dollars from an elderly person who hired her to manage her finances.
The report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol that led to the arrest LeeAnn Miles of Bethany says she had access to three bank accounts of the victim, who is over 60 years old.
Miles made more than 600 transactions that began in December of 2019 and continued for six and a half years.
The patrol's report said the victim and Miles agreed that Miles would be paid $300 dollars a month to pay the victim's expenses that included rent, house cleaning, and lawn care.
In addition to transactions that were agreed to by the victim, the patrol's investigation accuses Miles of spending the victim's money to pay rent on a storage unit, to help her make car payments, and spending $2,976.02 at Walt Disney World.
The patrol investigator determined the total amount transferred to Miles account from December 2019 to July 2026 was $216,176.19, and the total amount which could not be explained after Miles paid legitimate expenses was $158,964.29.
In June 2026, the last full month Miles had access to the victim's accounts, Miles transferred $8,210 to her checking account when legitimate expenses totaled $1,320 dollars.
Miles told the investigator according to the patrol's report that she initially requested compensation of $25 per day and for 365 days a year. Miles explanation for the increase in transfers to her account from the victim's accounts was that she was paying herself backpay to catch up to the amount before her compensation was changed from $25 a day to $300 a month. Miles also said she did not inform the victim of the increase and that she was "about caught up", though she did not know the exact amount because her computer crashed.
After Miles told the investigator she was owed about $118,000 dollars, she was told the transfers to her account amounted to more than $200,000. Miles only explanation to the investigator was that she "may have made an error in her estimations." And when the investigator asked Miles why someone with her qualifications and experience in accounting would operate using estimates and did not communicate any changes in compensation, including providing receipts to her client, the investigator said Miles could not provide an explanation.
Miles, who was arrested last Friday (October 16), appeared in Harrison County circuit court Monday (October 19). Associate circuit court judge Carrie Lamm Clark of Grundy County was assigned the case after associate circuit court judge Jay Hemenway of Harrison County recused himself. A special prosecutor who was appointed was Daviess County prosecuting attorney Annie Gibson.
At Monday's court appearance, Clark set bond at $150,000 dollars. If Miles is released from the Daviess-DeKalb regional jail, bond conditions include house arrest except when she is at work or meeting her lawyer, wearing a GPS monitor, and having no contact with the victim.
Miles, who is running for re-election, is opposed by independent candidate Chancel Crabtree.
