FERRIDAY, La. – The Legislative Auditor’s Office has informed the District Attorney’s Office that there is almost $23,000 more missing from Town of Ferriday’s coffers than was originally thought, an assistant D.A. said Wednesday.

Representatives of the Auditor’s Office met with officials of the D.A.’s Office &uot;and told us there was additional money missing … from property taxes paid in fiscal 1999-2000&uot; — $22,879.03, to be exact, said Assistant D.A. Ronnie McMillin.

That is in addition to the $117,822 in property taxes and utility payments a March 13 report by Auditor Dan Kyle’s office said was missing from town coffers.

A report released March 13 by Kyle said ex-water clerk Kathy R. Green and ex-Town Clerk Ida W. Tolliver admitted taking $90,947 the town received from July 1998 through February 2000 for utility services and $23,980 it received for 1998 property taxes for their use.

The report also said Green and Tolliver credited their utility accounts and the account of Green’s sister, Lucille Wells, $2,895 even though the town did not receive the payments.

Since then, officials of the Auditor’s Office have been back in Ferriday several times to look over 1999 tax records and other documents to see whether their estimate of the amount of missing funds needs to be revised.

Kyle said the findings of those visits will be contained in a supplemental report to be released to the public Monday. But on Wednesday, Kyle would not confirm the figure released by McMillin.

Both Green and Tolliver pleaded not guilty March 29 to charges of malfeasance and theft.

They appeared with their attorneys — Phillip Dugas of Baton Rouge and Jack Owens of Harrisonburg, respectively — Wednesday in Seventh Judicial District Court for a trial of motions.

However, neither defendant had filed any motions with the court. Following a conference Judge Leo Boothe had with the attorneys in his chambers, the trial of motions was continued until June 28.

In Louisiana, theft carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and/or $3,000; the highest penalty for malfeasance is five years and/or $5,000.