Former Arts Council CEO convicted of credit card abuse
BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – The former CEO of The Arts Council of the Brazos Valley was convicted Wednesday on charges of credit card abuse but will avoid prison time.
Sylvia McMullen was found guilty on one charge by a jury and then pled guilty to the second.
She was then sentenced to probation by Judge Kyle Hawthorne. As a term of her probation, she will not be allowed to hold any employment or volunteer position where she is authorized to make financial decisions for other people or organizations.
Shortly after she was hired in 2018, McMullen admitted to using an Arts Council credit card to make six unauthorized purchases for gifts, jewelry, and clothing. In January 2019, she admitted to the staff and board what happened and then resigned from her position.
The Arts Council is funded primarily through taxpayer dollars and private donations.
“No matter their position or prestige, offenders who abuse the public trust by misusing taxpayer money will not escape justice in Brazos County,” said Assistant DAs Kevin Capps and Jennifer Hebert.
