By Erin Quinn

Tribune-Herald staff writer

Days before former Downtown Waco Inc. executive director Margaret Mills will appear in district court on charges of felony theft, the Internal Revenue Service placed a lien on her property for $8,880.22 in unpaid taxes.

YOUR TURN

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PHOTOS, MULTIMEDIA

Photos: July's change of venue hearing

Document: Read the change of venue motion

More photos: Arraignment, photo retrospective

> TIMELINE: Downtown Waco scandal

The document is unclear as to whether the lien was placed on her private property or otherwise.

It states Mills didn’t pay income taxes for the period ending Dec. 31, 2005.

Mills, 67, is due to appear at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday for a pre-trial hearing in 54th State District Court before Judge Matt Johnson.

Mills was indicted in November on charges of first-degree felony theft.

THE MILLS FILE

• Jun. 14, 2009: Former Downtown Waco leader Margaret Mills could be released by Thanksgiving
• Nov. 22, 2008: Margaret Mills spends first night in Gatesville prison

THE PUNISHMENT

• Nov. 11, 2008: Margaret Mills escorted from Waco courtroom to begin 9-year sentence
• Nov. 10, 2008: Prison official describes what Margaret Mills' life might be like behind bars
• Nov. 8, 2008: Family friends pitch in to help Margaret Mills pay $100K restitution

THE TRIAL

• DAY 3 / Nov. 5, 2008: Judge seethes at attorneys as Margaret Mills plea deal is reached
• DAY 2 / Nov. 4, 2008: Margaret Mills' successor testifies she found Downtown Waco Inc.'s financial records 
• DAY 1 / Nov. 3, 2008: Jury selected in Margaret Mills theft punishment trial
• Nov. 2, 2008: Betraying public trust may factor in Margaret Mills' sentence
• Nov. 2, 2008: Bad economy could be bad news for Margaret Mills, jury experts say

THE PLEA

• Oct. 26, 2008: After Margaret Mills' guilty plea, question remains whether she can get an unbiased jury for her sentencing
• Oct. 25, 2008: Margaret Mills avoids possible life sentence in plea deal
• Oct. 25, 2008: Margaret Mills' plea deal has some wondering whether they will get paid back
• Oct. 24, 2008: Margaret Mills' attorneys to try again to move her trial from Waco

THE PRETRIAL MOTIONS

• Sept. 29, 2008: Defense files 2nd motion to move Margaret Mills trial from Waco
• Sept. 17, 2008: New court filing outlines theft allegations against Margaret Mills
• Sept. 3, 2008: Judge rules Mills should stand trial in Waco, sets Nov. 3 start date
• Sept. 2, 2008: Hearing expected to decide whether Margaret Mills trial moves from Waco
• Aug. 30, 2008: Federal tax lien placed on Margaret Mills' property
• Aug. 13, 2008: Prosecutor: Kick cameras out for Mills theft trial
• July 26, 2008: Margaret Mills' lawyers seek to bar courtroom cameras
• July 19, 2008: Mills' attorneys request change of venue for controversial trial
• July 15, 2008: Prosecutor files motion to restrict evidence in Margaret Mills case in advance of Friday's pre-trial hearing
• Feb. 2, 2008: Trial date set in Margaret Mills' theft case
• Jan. 24, 2008: Margaret Mills pretrial hearing scheduled
• Nov. 7, 2007: Margaret Mills indicted on 1st-degree felony theft charges

THE INVESTIGATION

• Oct. 3, 2007: DA's office dogged by inquiries in Margaret Mills case
• Aug. 10, 2007: Mills investigation in its final stages
• May 5, 2007: Waco police submit part of Mills investigation to DA
• April 10, 2007: County DA Segrest will recuse himself in Mills case
• April 8, 2007: Disbelief, desperation marked Downtown Waco's final months
• April 3, 2007: Did Mills get special treatment from justice system?
• April 3, 2007: Longtime civic leader arrested, bonded out peacefully
• April 2, 2007: Mills' hard-charging ways won success, created sparks
• April 1, 2007: Arrest warrant issued for Margaret Mills
• Feb. 23, 2007: Investigation wrapping up
• Dec. 17, 2006: Inquiry will continue into 2007

THE SCANDAL

• Nov. 4, 2006: Mills put money in own account on eve of retirement
• Nov. 2, 2006: "Several" subpoenas issued
• Nov. 1, 2006: $500,000 and counting: Questionable finances traced to 2000
• Oct. 28, 2006: Case could shake up courthouse
• Oct. 25, 2006: Downtown Waco office braces for closure
• Oct. 22, 2006: Who's minding the store at DTW?
• Oct. 15, 2006: No third-party audits for DTW Inc.
• Oct. 14, 2006: Ex-Downtown Waco director Mills target of investigation
• Oct. 11, 2006: Police investigating missing money
• Oct. 6, 2006: Missing funds at root of investigation
• Oct. 3, 2006: Downtown Waco Inc. loses city funds amid internal financial investigation

The indictment alleges Mills stole hundreds of thousands of dollars while serving as head of the downtown development agency.

Johnson is expected to rule Wednesday on a defense request to move the trial to a different county because of news coverage.

equinn@wacotrib.com

757-5748

COMPLETE COVERAGE

• Document: Read the change of venue motion
• Indictment: Read the charges against Margaret Mills: PDF Text
• TIMELINE: Downtown Waco scandal

MULTIMEDIA

• NEW PHOTOS: At the change of venue motion
• PHOTOS: Margaret Mills' arraignment, a photo retrospective

VIDEO: ARRAIGNMENT

• MORE VIDEO: Margaret Mills arrives at county jail

• GRAPHIC: Arrest warrant affidavit