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June 23, 2005Clerk charged with feloniesGee faces seven embezzlement countsByand Record-Eagle staff writers  Grand Traverse County sheriff's detectives on Wednesday arrested Janice Gee, 59, of Traverse City, at the township office and charged her with seven counts of felony embezzlement. Gee was arraigned Wednesday before 86th District Court Judge John Foresman. Grand Traverse County Prosecutor Alan Schneider said Gee allegedly embezzled about $19,356 from the township between January 2003 and last December. "There's nothing I can tell you because it's an ongoing investigation," said Supervisor Glen Lile, who confirmed detectives seized records from Gee's office. According to the criminal complaint, Michelle McHale-Adams, an accountant with Plante & Moran, reviewed accounting records and found the losses were part of payroll irregularities involving Gee and her daughter, Tami Simerson, who is the township's chief assessor. Investigators said Gee was the only employee with access to the township's accounting system and allegedly contributed $3,900 to her deferred compensation account in 2003 without deducting the amount from her own payroll checks. That same year, Gee allegedly reported $1,425 more in federal withholding tax than was withheld from her payroll checks. Both Lile and trustee Beth Friend, who met with Plante & Moran about audit results, said they weren't aware that Gee was to be arrested. "I'm glad that things are being looked into," said Friend, a political newcomer who won primary and general elections last year in a hotly contested race for township office. Friend would not discuss details of her meetings with auditors. In 2004, Gee allegedly added $4,600 to her compensation account, and claimed $5,200 in federal withholding when she only paid in $1,200, according to the criminal complaint. Gee also allegedly issued herself payroll checks for $2,515 more in gross wages than approved by the township board and tampered with Simerson's federal tax records. Lile said Simerson was suspended until at least Monday, when township officials formally will discuss Gee's arrest. Schneider said he did not believe Simerson would face criminal charges. "It is alleged (Gee's) daughter received more net pay than she should have according to her W-2 forms, but we have no evidence that (Simerson) had knowledge of this," said Schneider. "We have no intention to charge her daughter at this time." Gee wore an East Bay Township shirt, handcuffs and shackles and responded "I guess" when asked by Foresman if she understood the charges against her. She requested a court-appointed attorney. Foresman set a $5,000 personal recognizance bond and Gee is set to appear July 6 for a preliminary hearing. Gee faces a maximum of five years in prison and restitution if convicted. She was elected clerk in 1992 after being appointed to the position to fill an expiring term, according to the township's Web site. "I was very surprised," deputy treasurer and Grand Traverse County commissioner Margaret Underwood said. "We didn't any of us know anything about it, any of it." See Related Story: Township officials pushed for audit leading to Gee's arrest - June 23, 2005
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