HELENA-WEST HELENA, Ark. — A clerk in the Phillips County Judge’s Office has been charged following an Arkansas State Police (ASP) investigation and state audit that uncovered over $16,000 in allegedly improper charges on a county credit card.
Kara Harvey, 44, has been charged with theft of property and fraudulent use of a credit card or debit card, ASP officials confirmed.
The investigation began in August 2025 when First Judicial District Prosecutor Todd Murray requested that the ASP Criminal Investigation Division probe allegations of theft or misuse involving a Phillips County credit card.
According to ASP, its investigation—conducted in conjunction with an Arkansas Legislative Audit—found that Harvey allegedly used the county’s credit card to make $16,642 in unallowable purchases. Among those purchases were 84 gift cards and prepaid debit cards, authorities said.
Harvey turned herself in to the Phillips County Sheriff’s Office on August 20. She was served with a warrant and released on her own recognizance, ASP reported.
The investigation remains ongoing, with ASP declining to provide additional details at this time. The agency reminds the public that all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.