Oak Point’s former administrative services coordinator, who resigned last month amid a criminal investigation, has been charged with abusing her office.

Jennifer Ashenhart-Hawkins

Jennifer Ashenhart-Hawkins, 27, of Aubrey, was arrested early Sunday and charged with misdemeanor abuse of official capacity.

Oak Point Police Chief Michael Shackleford said in his arrest affidavit that Ashenhart-Hawkins admitted knowing that money had been taken from the city’s petty cash and improper charges had been made to the city’s credit card beginning around August and continuing through last month.

Ashenhart-Hawkins told investigators that she was trying to protect city manager Richard Martin in covering up the missing funds, according to the affidavit.

Martin has not been arrested or charged with any crime. Martin could not be reached for comment. Martin, who had been the city's attorney before becoming city manager in February 2007, resigned April 21.

Ashenhart-Hawkins left her position with Oak Point April 18.

Ashenhart-Hawkins declined to comment on the case, but she said she hoped both Oak Point and Rhome, where she was recently hired as city administrator, could recover from the controversy.

“I hope for the sake of both communities that this can be cleared up soon,” Ashenhart-Hawkins said. 

According to the affidavit, $758.22 in credit card charges had been identified as questionable and $314 was missing from the petty cash box.

The affidavit also said the investigation is ongoing. Shackleford has previously said that the city has called for an outside audit of the city’s finances related to both Ashenhart-Hawkins and Martin.

For misuse of amounts less than $1,500 but more than $500, abuse of official capacity is a Class A misdemeanor. Conviction carries with it a possible penalty of a year in jail and a $2,000 fine. For misuse of amounts above $1,500, the charge becomes a felony. 

PEGGY HEINKEL-WOLFE can be reached at 940-566-6881. Her e-mail address is pheinkel-wolfe@dentonrc.com.