Perry County Coroner Gets Out of Sentence for Exploitation
A longtime Missouri elected official who was convicted of swindling an elderly woman out of more than $80,000 says he plans to keep his job after being sentenced to two seven-year prison terms. Perry County Coroner Herbert Miller's sentence was suspended Friday and he was placed on five years of probation. The Southeast Missourian reports Miller must repay $80,600 in restitution and could serve prison time if he violates probation. Miller has served as the county coroner for 20 years. He was convicted in October of financial exploitation of an elderly or disabled person and theft of $25,000 or more.
Prosecutors say he was given power of attorney by the victim in 2004 when she was 83 years old. According to Southeast Missourian journalist Ben Kleine, starting in 2011, Miller had written 78 checks for cash and another seven to a Miller Funeral Home all from the victim's account. By 2013, Miller had emptied her checking account.