Sunday, June 14, 2009
Margaret Mills could be home by Thanksgiving.
If Mills is able to secure at least two votes from a three-member parole review panel at the end of October, she will have served about a year of her nine-year sentence for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars as executive director of Downtown Waco Inc.
Mills, 68, pleaded guilty to felony theft in November and spent her first night in prison on Nov. 21. A prison spokeswoman said this week that she is up for her initial parole review on Oct. 29.
> The Downtown Waco Inc. scandal, Margaret Mills trial
In Mills’ case, three members of the Board of Pardons and Paroles will vote individually on her parole status sometime in late October, said prison spokeswoman Michelle Lyons. If she gets two votes, Mills will be released on parole, Lyons said.
Mills is a minimum custody inmate at the Woodman prison unit in Gatesville and works as a folder in the prison laundry, Lyons said.
Trusty status
Mills’ husband, Waco attorney Coke Mills, said his wife has been made a trusty at the prison and has been told that officials plan to move her to a trusty house in Gatesville when a space opens up there.
Coke Mills said he is hopeful that her status as trusty, a model prisoner who has more privileges and more freedom, will play a favorable role in her parole review.
“I would think that it would. I am hopeful that it will. Certainly, she has done well and has a good record,” Coke Mills said.
Margaret Mills declined a request from the Tribune-Herald for an interview, prison spokesman Jason Clark said.
Courthouse officials estimated at Mills’ sentencing Nov. 10 that she likely would have to serve a little more than two years before becoming eligible for parole. Prison officials say a wide variety of factors come into play when determining an inmate’s parole status, including whether it was a crime of violence, the wishes of victims, behavior in prison and more.
Mills’ potential prison sentence was reduced drastically when special prosecutors from the state attorney general’s office abandoned many of the theft counts against her, reducing her crime from a first-degree to a third-degree felony.
Mills acknowledged that she stole funds, misused Downtown Waco Inc. debit and credit cards and diverted members’ dues to her personal accounts. Prosecutors have said she stole about $500,000 but reached an agreement with her for restitution of almost $308,000.
She repaid $170,000 of that total before she went to prison. Four of her husband’s friends paid $25,000 each to help raise the required $100,000 in upfront restitution that Judge Matt Johnson required before approving Mills’ plea agreement.
twitherspoon@wacotrib.com
757-5737
Comments
By lawdag
Sep 7, 2009 2:32 PM | Link to this
She is no worse than the double dippin cops who will probably get off completely.
By Bruce Hudeck
Aug 4, 2009 12:44 AM | Link to this
This person should do at least half of her sentence. She knows what theft is and if not caught would still be doing it.
By k.c.
Jun 17, 2009 8:41 PM | Link to this
Over the past year other women in the Central Texas area have gone to prison for embezzlement for much longer than Mrs. Mills was sentenced to serve. It gives me pause to think about McLennan County's justice system. It lacks something to be desired. I will be definitely writing the prison parole board not to release her but, with her high powered, influential friends/family, I am sure my comments won't amount to a "hill of beans"! If she returns to the workforce when she is released, let's all hope her job does not include anything to do with finances!
By notsure
Jun 17, 2009 8:17 PM | Link to this
Are ya'll sure thats her? Can we get a picture of her when she was younger? The pictures of her shown look like a man with a wig and earrings. You dont suppose the old girl did a Chaz Bono thing in reverse do you?
By Observer
Jun 17, 2009 6:07 PM | Link to this
Margaret Mills is nothing more than a criminal and a thief who deserves to serve more time, not be let out so soon! Money talks and her stolen money and her rich friends money is TALKING!!! Corruptness that is outrageous!
By RJ
Jun 17, 2009 3:48 PM | Link to this
What a shame that this lady will be getting out of prison so early. Where is the justice in this. She and her husband knew what she was doing, after all they always make sure to let others know how educated they are. It amazes me that an upper class person can steal and rob the community blind, and be favored with reductions and sympathy. But a poor person of any color that steals people blind will go to jail for many, many years. I have believed and still do believe that this entire case should have been sent to the FBI or Justice department. The attorney general and mills family have long been friends. I guess I wouldn't want to indict my friend either. It's just a shame on all the parties involved. The City of Waco for no oversight of tax payers money, Waco Inc. officials and our justice system. It just continues to prove that the more money you have (even stolen)and the people you know, will always prevail and allow a criminal to go free. Yes, Margaret you are no better than a person who sells drugs or wears a mask to rob someone's house. You are a CRIMINAL and should not be allowed to not serve your full time for the CRIME you committed.
By Off Topic
Jun 17, 2009 1:13 PM | Link to this
Not to be off topic but what happend to all the comments listed on the Double Dipping story?
By anonymous
Jun 17, 2009 11:56 AM | Link to this
I won't go into the detail of it, Mark, but you did make a couple of grammatical errors in your post. The only reason I am pointing that out to you is so you will realize that none of us are perfect. I have known people that are illiterate and it is often a source of shame and I don't want your comment to keep people from feeling free to post.
Not always, but often, there are glimpses of wisdom and goodness in those broken words and sentences. As you know, with practice and reading, those problems should improve.
By Truth Be Told
Jun 17, 2009 11:07 AM | Link to this
Any feedback from the DWI Board, the Office of the Attny. General, or any of the other parties victimized by Meg and her actions?? If they have the interests of the citizens in mind, it seems they would be able provide their perspectives to the community.
By A Citizen of Waco, Texas
Jun 17, 2009 2:28 AM | Link to this
I hope that Margaret Mills has spent some quiet time in prayer during her short time in prison. Not only did she abuse the trust given to her by the citizens of our city, but the lack of responsibility she showed throughout her trial and to the public was shameful of a woman her age. If you (like me) think she deserves to stay in prison for her full term...write the parole board and voice just that. Everything else that is being written about her family is very hard to stomach. Like so many families in our world today, her family appears to think it is okay to do just whatever they want without paying the consequences of their actions. I have nothing but pity for Mrs. Mills. All I can do is speak for myself on this board, and that would be this Mrs. Mills -- If I run across you in my town, I will turn and walk in the other direction. I do not care that you hold yourself above me, walk with your nose in the air, or buy your clothes from Dillard's. What I do care about are good abiding citizens that live in my city and have a difficult time with people such as yourself her are nothing but pretentious. God forgive you for what you did to us...the citizens of Waco...and to this day have shown little remorse for.
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