Ex-state exec charged with theft

Tuesday, June 18, 2002 | 9:50 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The former executive director of the state Board of Dental Examiners has agreed to surrender to authorities in Las Vegas to face 13 counts that she embezzled $602,000.

The charges were filed against Valonne Harmon Monday by the state Attorney General's Office, accusing Harmon with five felony counts each of theft and forgery and three gross misdemeanor counts of a public officer filing a false report. If convicted of all counts, she could face a maximum of 73 years in prison.

Richard Wright, an attorney for Harmon, said he has not seen the charges and had no comment on how he intends to proceed.

Senior Deputy Attorney General Brian Kunzi said Harmon has agreed to turn herself in and will probably be released on her own recognizance pending a Justice Court hearing in 30 days.

Kunzi said Harmon drained the bank account of the dental board over a five-year period. The loss wasn't found until checks started to bounce.

The criminal complaint said Harmon forged the signature of a member of the board on at least 199 phony payroll checks dating to January 1988.

Kunzi said Harmon is accused of covering up the theft by filing false financial statements to the board. For example, he said, Harmon reported to the board that it had $692,236 in the bank as of Oct. 31, 2001. An audit showed there was only $4,503 in the bank.

An investigation revealed biennial audits were not conducted as required. A request for the audits was sent to Harmon by the Legislative Counsel Bureau.

Harmon was fired from her job last January, the attorney general's office said. She had been employed at the agency for about 11 years.