By Derek Spellman

dspellman@joplinglobe.com

NEOSHO, Mo. — A Noel woman who served as treasurer for what was the Humane Society for Newton and McDonald counties has been charged with embezzling almost $90,000 from the organization over a three-year period.

Patsy L. LeSueur, 55, was free after posting bond late Wednesday afternoon, according to Newton County authorities. She was charged with one count of Class B felony theft after allegedly writing herself 48 checks totaling more than $89,812 from funds that had been set aside by the New-Mac Regional Humane Society for construction of an animal shelter, according to Neosho police Chief Dave McCracken. Neosho police conducted the investigation because the bank with the organization’s account is in Neosho.

LeSueur had been serving as the organization’s secretary and treasurer.

She also is the city clerk for Noel and the wife of former McDonald County sheriff’s Deputy Mike LeSueur.

Karla Meador, the Noel city collector, said that as of Wednesday, Patsy LeSueur was still employed with the city but was on a leave of absence. Patsy LeSueur has been on a leave of absence since Saturday, Meador said, and then referred other questions to Mayor Paul Gardner.

A phone message left for Gardner at his home was not returned.

Gregg Sweeten, chief deputy for the McDonald County Sheriff’s Department, said Mike LeSueur left the department several months ago to become an international police adviser for Civpol, which has been training the emergent Iraqi police force. Mike LeSueur also was listed as a member of the Humane Society’s board of directors on its last annual report filed in December 2005.

The Globe’s efforts to reach both of the LeSueurs for comment Wednesday were unsuccessful.

In a probable-cause affidavit filed with the complaint, Neosho police Detective Michael Whitehead wrote that the New-Mac Regional Humane Society had never authorized Patsy LeSueur to issue checks for herself, and that it never had need for “supplies, travel expenses, or any other items she claimed in the memo portion of the checks.” Patsy LeSueur also admitted to Whitehead in an interview that she “was not authorized to make payments to herself, nor did she have the expenditures that she claimed,” according to the affidavit.

McCracken said he did not anticipate any further arrests in connection with the case.

The investigation began, according to court documents, when Neosho lawyer Dwight Douglas contacted authorities.

Douglas told the Globe on Wednesday that he is not a member of the society’s board of directors but that he was contacted by a member of the board who had concerns about the group’s finances. He declined to identify the board member. Douglas said he then asked the bank to examine the financial records, whereupon it found discrepancies. Douglas said he then contacted authorities.

The New-Mac Regional Humane Society was incorporated as a nonprofit entity in 2002, according to online records from the Missouri secretary of state. It was technically dissolved by the state in late December 2006 because an annual report had not be filed, although online records show that Patsy LeSueur contacted the secretary of state’s office about reinstating the organization as late as March 2007.