Frmr Madison County Finance Director Sentenced to 15 years for Theft

One year after her arrest, the former Madison County Finance Director pled guilty Wednesday to stealing money from the Constitutional Officers Association of Georgia (COAG) bank account.

42-year-old Melissa Branyon Tolbert pled guilty in Madison County Superior Court in Danielsville and was sentenced to 15 years with three to serve and 12 years on probation.

She must also pay a $5,000 fine.

Tolbert was arrested in September 2022 and initially charged with five counts of felony theft but pled guilty Wednesday to nine counts.

According to the GBI on July 29, 2022, the Northern Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office requested the agents investigate after COAG officers discovered several unauthorized transactions between May of 2018 to June of 2022 while Tolbert was employed there.

As part of her job description as the County Finance Director, Tolbert had access to the Association’s funds.

At the time of her arrest, Madison County Commission Chair Todd Higdon told the Madison County Journal they had done an internal financial audit of the county’s funds and everything was correct and they found no wrongdoing.

He said the information came from  “several sets of eyes working as a team just to verify.”

Madison County commissioners officially terminated Tolbert from her position in a brief called meeting after her arrest.