By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support local journalism.
Accountants case headed to court
Placeholder Image

A local accountant could face new theft charges when he goes to court next week.

 

Warren H. Pennington, 61, is set to appear Monday before Judge Bonnie Oliver for a jury trial in Dawson County Superior Court.

 

Pennington is accused of allegedly funneling for his personal and business expenses more than $40,000 that clients had placed in accounts to pay income tax liabilities.

 

Last week, Assistant District Attorney J.D. Hart filed notice with the court of her intent to introduce similar transactions that were not included in Pennington’s September indictment.

 

Court records contend Pennington “converted funds ... for his own use” from a local restaurant and a Web-based business.

 

The Sept. 19 indictment, which charged him with five counts of theft by conversion and seven counts of theft by taking between December 2004 and December 2007, named more than a dozen local businesses as alleged victims.

 

Pennington was initially arrested in July 2008 on a single theft by conversion charge.

 

Three months later, he was charged with nine additional theft counts.

 

Pennington was acquitted of the first charge, which reportedly involved transferring more than $60,000 from a client’s escrow account to pay other expenses.

 

Pennington has declined to comment on the current case, saying he will give a full account once the trial has finished.

 

He has, however, previously expressed confidence that he will be cleared of the charges.

 

“We’re going to fight them as vigorously on the additional charges as we did on the first one and expect the same outcome,” he said.