Forsan resident Minnie Marie Wilson, 38, a former BSPD records clerk, was sentenced to eight years in prison and fined $5,000 after being convicted of the second-degree felony offense of theft by a public servant Tuesday afternoon.

Wilson was convicted of stealing thousands of dollars from deposits on animal control fees and various other city fees collected while she worked for the police department. BSPD Chief Lonnie Smith said in November that the thefts occurred over a period of several years after Wilson became employed by the department in 1998.

District Attorney Hardy L. Wilkerson said Wilson could have faced up to 20 years in prison, but added that he believed the jury's punishment was appropriate.

“I'm satisfied with the verdict,” Wilkerson said. “Given that she committed thousands of transactions that constituted theft over the years she worked for the city, I thought a prison term was utterly justified ... I'm sure the jury felt there was a betrayal of public trust involved here.”

Wilkerson said trial testimony showed that police investigations into the theft revealed about $67,000 in cash missing from deposits that Wilson collected during her tenure with BSPD, “with the potential for much more.”

Wilson must serve at least a quarter of her prison term before becoming eligible for parole, Wilkerson noted.

Contact Staff Writer Steve Reagan at 263-7331 ext. 234 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it