By Sam Wildow
TROY — A Tipp City woman was sentenced this week to five years of probation for embezzling over $122,000 from the Piqua American Legion Post 184.
Mary A. Branham, 46, of Tipp City, was sentenced to serve five years on community control for fourth-degree felony theft from now through April 2027, according to the Miami County Prosecutor’s Office.
According to court documents, the American Legion found they were missing funds in October 2020. The organization’s leadership confronted Branham, who was an employee in charge of the finances for the organization at the time. Branham admitted to taking the funds and was later terminated from her position.
Following an investigation from the Piqua Police Department, Branham was believed to have taken approximately$122,425 from the American Legion. She reportedly took the funds to pay off gambling losses.
Branham has paid back $30,000, and the court stipulated that she must pay back $300 per week to the American Legion to go toward the restitution in this case. Other stipulations of her community control include that she has to obtain mental health treatment and attend gambler’s anonymous meetings.
If Branham violates her community control, Miami County Common Pleas Court Judge Jeannine Pratt reserved 18 months in prison for Branham.
