A Dahlonega woman, well known in the community, has been accused of stealing over $400,000; some of those funds were intended to go to charity, according to authorities.
On Thursday, Rhonda Sheppard, 54, was arrested and charged with one count of theft by taking.
Her arrest came after several months of investigating the accusation. Last August, a complaint was submitted through the sheriff’s office expressing concern that a local resident's will was not carried out. The executor of that will was Sheppard.
The Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office enlisted the help of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). According to a press release from the GBI, at this point, the investigation has revealed that Sheppard took over $400,000 for personal use. A portion of that money was supposed to have been given as a donation to St. Jude's Children's Hospital.
Sheppard is the current Elections Manager for Lumpkin County; she has worked in that capacity since July 2021. Her LinkedIn biography also shows she was the Administrative Assistant to the Sheriff at the Lumpkin County Sheriff's Office from 2017 until May 2021. She is also the owner of Waters Mill wedding and event venue in Dahlonega.
Sheppard was booked into the Lumpkin County Detention Center.
The GBI investigation is ongoing and there may be additional charges relating to the case.
