Fremont County clerk accused of embezzling more than $220K

Arrest records say the Fremont County clerk and recorder accused of embezzling more than $220,000 from taxpayers over a seven-year period tried to keep the investigation secret by threatening to fire employees who talked about it.

The Colorado Springs Gazette reports that 36-year-old Katie Barr was jailed Tuesday on suspicion of embezzlement of public property, witness intimidation, harassment and fraud by check. She turned herself in after detectives told her of the charges.

Police documents say she wrote checks to cover insufficient funds in accounts belonging to her and her husband and their business.

A message left with a sheriff’s office spokeswoman to determine if Barr has hired an attorney was not immediately returned Wednesday evening. A call to a phone number listed for Barr rang busy before disconnecting.