Barrow County tax official arrested for stealing more than $25k, deputies say

BARROW COUNTY, Ga. — An official in the Barrow County Tax Commissioner’s Office has been arrested and charged with theft.

The sheriff’s office confirmed that Chief Deputy Tax Commissioner Patricia Ritchie, 59, was arrested on Thursday afternoon.

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Barrow County Tax Commissioner Jessica Garrett contacted the sheriff’s office earlier this month to report that there were several missing cash receipts from their motor vehicle account.

Investigators say no other accounts were compromised.

The exact amount of money has not yet been announced, but investigators say it is more than $25,000.

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Garrett is ensuring the public that “all motor vehicle transactions were processed correctly and everyone’s tags are valid.”

Ritchie is currently being held in the Barrow County Detention Center. Bond has not been set.

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