Ex-Spanish Fort court clerk to serve 120 days in jail for theft

BAY MINETTE, Al.
A former municipal court clerk for Spanish Fort found guilty last month of stealing funds plans to appeal her September conviction.
Mary Luft, 41, of Daphne was sentenced in Baldwin County Circuit Court on Tuesday to a five-year prison term for first-degree theft of funds from the Spanish Fort Municipal Court. The term was split for her to serve 120 days in jail with the balance suspended, according to court documents and a news release issued Wednesday by Attorney General Luther Strange.
Following her jail sentence, Luft will be placed on probation for five years. She was also ordered to pay $58,830 in restitution to the city of Spanish Fort, records show.
Luft was released on $10,000 bail pending her appeal.
On Sept. 13, after deliberating for less than an hour, a jury convicted Luft of first-degree theft of property.
Authorities said Luft, who was responsible for handling and processing all money that came through the city’s court, stole more than $58,000, which was nearly half the total received over a 14-month period in 2006 and 2007.
The stolen money belonged to the state as well as the city because a portion of the court fines collected are distributed to the state and counties, according to the news release.
"The felony conviction and jail sentence in this case should send a warning to others who may be tempted to commit crimes such as this," Strange said. "This defendant held a position of public trust in which her duty was to be a caretaker of municipal court funds. She betrayed that trust by stealing the people’s money."
Luft’s attorney, Floyd Enfinger Jr., said Luft continues to assert her innocence.
"We’re optimistic that an appeal will clear that up," he said.