Felony charges have been filed against the former Cortez finance director in the city’s embezzlement case.
Katheryn Moss, 70, faces one charge of theft and one charge of embezzlement of public property. According to court documents, she allegedly took $68,800 from the city of Cortez between the dates of Jan. 1, 2016, and Dec. 31, 2018.
Her arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 5.
Nearly a year ago, Cortez City Manager John Dougherty announced it had been discovered that a former city employee had allegedly embezzled funds from the city.
After the announcement, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation launched an investigation into the case, concluding it earlier this year.
The issue complicated finances for the city, which was in the midst of cleaning up three years’ worth of financial records, which had been muddied by a faulty software conversion in 2016. The CBI, though, asked the city to temporarily freeze the cleanup process while its investigation was underway.
Moss served as the city’s finance director for over three decades, officially retiring in January 2019.
Charges were filed on July 2 by the 22nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
“Between and including January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2018, Katheryn Ann Moss unlawfully, feloniously, and knowingly, took a thing of value, namely: $68,800.46 in cash, of the City of Cortez,” the theft charge states.
According to 22nd Judicial District Attorney Will Furse, Moss is being issued a summons to appear at her Aug. 5 arraignment. She could face jail time of between two and six years, although that could be shortened or extended based on circumstances, and probation could be served as an alternative to imprisonment, Furse said.
ealvero@the-journal.com
