Former Liberty County Development Authority Chief Operating Officer Carmen Cole pleaded not guilty Wednesday to four charges stemming from allegations she spent more than $5,000 in the organization’s funds on personal expenses.
Cole is charged with two counts of financial transaction card fraud, one count of felony theft by deception, and one count of false statements and writings, conceal fact and fraudulent documents in matters of government.
Cole’s attorney, David Laesser, said Superior Court Judge C. Paul Rose has not yet set a court date. Cole left the courthouse without commenting; the LCDA declined comment on the case.
Cole resigned from her position in January 2025 after an internal audit uncovered more than $22,000 in charges allegedly made for personal expenses on the development authority’s credit card. The indictment does not specify whether the charges stem from those purchases Cole said she had paid back…