$70K Missing, Fired Platte County Worker’s Trial Set

LINCOLN, Neb. - A Monroe woman, accused of pocketing over $70,000 in Platte County funds, is scheduled to stand trial early next year. According to a recent state audit, 43-year-old Traci Nelson, ex-director of the county's adult diversion program stole $56,000 in county funds, $11,000 in restitution payments and also made off with $6,000 in fake claims to the county. The audit says Nelsen was fired August 24th after admitting the three year long rip-off which began in 2014. Nelsen faces two felony theft charges and another felony for evidence tampering. The auditor's office went through flash drives, a county owned tablet and a locked file cabinet while investigating the diversion program. Auditors say among Nelson's mistakes that led to her arrest was a fake receipt claiming $1,979.50 for printing pamphlets which used a false City of Lincoln address and the wrong city sales tax rate. During Nelsen's tenure as director she handled 425 cases.