FERRIDAY, La. – Former Ferriday Town Clerk Ida Tolliver pleaded guilty Wednesday morning to malfeasance and felony theft in connection with the theft of $140,701 from the town’s coffers.

Ex-water clerk Kathy Green pleaded guilty to the same charges Monday and had agreed to testify against Tolliver in an Oct. 23 trial. Judge Leo Boothe of Seventh Judicial District Court did not set a sentencing date. Maximum penalties are 10 years in prison and a $3,000 fine for theft and five years and $5,000 for malfeasance.

&uot;The justice system works. … We can now proceed to the matter of restitution. Lord knows the town needs that money,&uot; said Ferriday Mayor Pro Tem Billy Rucker who, along with other town officials, had not heard of the pleas as of noon Wednesday. Glen McGlothin, mayor since July 1, could not be reached for comment.

A state legislative auditor’s investigation conducted in the spring revealed that Green and 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.

A March auditor’s 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. A May investigation showed an extra $22,879 was missing from property taxes paid in fiscal 1999-2000.

&uot;That’s a lot of money,&uot;&160;McMillan said. &uot;I&160;hope now … that restitution can be worked out.&uot;

The Town of Ferriday had $50,000 bonds on each of the two clerks, but they had to be convicted before the bond company would pay that amount. The issue of how the rest of the missing money could be paid back &uot;is now in the judge’s hands,&uot;&160;McMillan said.

Following their confessions in February, Tolliver and Green were both fired. Still, both pleaded not guilty March 29 to charges of malfeasance and theft.

Neither Tolliver’s attorney, Jack Owens of Harrisonburg, nor Green’s lawyer, Phillip Dugas of Baton Rouge, would return calls Wednesday seeking comment.