Morton city clerk admits to embezzling nearly $1 million over years
May 8, 2025, 10:12 AM | Updated: 10:40 am
Lettering for the Department of Justice outside its federal headquarters. (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
A former Morton city聽official has admitted to stealing nearly $1 million from city funds over the course of nine years.聽
Tamara “Tammy” Clevenger, who served as the city鈥檚 clerk-treasurer from 2012 to 2022, pleaded guilty to wire fraud Wednesday at the U.S. District Court in Tacoma, according to the Department of Justice.聽
The investigation started after a 2024 audit by the Washington State Auditor鈥檚 Office uncovered unauthorized withdrawals and fraudulent transactions totaling $937,584. According to court records, Clevenger used several tactics to misappropriate public funds.
Morton city clerk stole nearly $1m in 10-year window
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Between 2015 and 2021, Cevenger pocketed more than $311,000 in cash payments made by residents for city services. Officials said she wrote bogus checks and made unauthorized cash withdrawals using the city鈥檚 ATM card to conceal the transactions. From 2013 to 2021, she issued over $625,000 in city checks to herself using pre-signed checks meant for emergencies.聽
The fraud involved the use of interstate wire transfers, including a $5,800 transaction that crossed state lines through Umpqua Bank servers, making it a federal crime.
Morton officials have since updated internal procedures to prevent any one employee from having sole control over transactions. Clevenger has agreed to repay the money and has already returned $8,626 to the city’s accounts.
Clevenger is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7.
