Former Shoal Creek Drive treasurer avoids prison after stealing thousands
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A former Shoal Creek Drive Village treasurer received probation after pleading guilty to stealing tens of thousands of dollars from the small Newton County community.
Katrina Gourley, 44, of Joplin, pleaded guilty in Newton County Circuit Court to one felony count of stealing.
The judge sentenced Gourley to seven years in prison but suspended the sentence. She was placed on five years of supervised probation and ordered to pay $41,524 in restitution.
The Newton County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed the charge in November 2024, more than two years after the transactions occurred.
According to the probable cause statement, village officials discovered irregular activity while reviewing bank records.
Investigators reported that approximately $27,075 was transferred from the village’s account to a Cash App account connected to Gourley between Aug. 2 and Sept. 19, 2022.
Investigators also reviewed a $4,798 check made payable to Stapleton Elementary School. A village official reportedly said the blank check was signed after Gourley said it would be used for office supplies.
The probable cause statement alleged Gourley instead delivered the check to the school as payment connected to a fundraiser she supervised as head of the school’s parent-teacher organization.
Investigators were also given purported village meeting minutes that a board member said were fabricated.
