CRESTVIEW — Former Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce president Valerie Lott was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison.
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Lott will receive credit for the time she served on the charges when she was originally arrested.
Once released from prison, she will serve 10 years probation. During that time, she will have to follow a schedule to pay back restitution to the Chamber. A total of amount of restitution to be paid will be decided by Circuit Court Judge Michael Flowers at a later time. However, during a recess at the sentencing hearing, Lott’s attorneys presented the Chamber $25,000 to be put toward the restitution.
While on probation, Lott must also follow a mental health regimen deemed appropriate by a medical professional.
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The sentence stems from an August 2018 arrest for fraud. Lott had previously pleaded no contest to the charge.
According to the original arrest report, Lott stole over $77,000 from the Chamber from November 2012 to September 2017. The report details many fraudulent transactions made by Lott using the Chamber’s Regions credit cards and checks, as well as cash withdrawals from the chamber’s bank account.
According to the report, Lott forged the signature of chamber members on 17 checks totaling almost $30,000.
Some of the personal purchases made by Lott included a vacation to Disney World that totaled over $4,000, veterinarian services for her dog and 48 Amazon purchases, the arrest report said.
Lott was relieved of her duties at the Chamber in 2017. The timing of her departure coincided with a fire at the Chamber headquarters. Lott was charged with arson in connection to the fire, but the charge was dismissed by the state during Tuesday’s sentencing.
Crestview Mayor J.B. Whitten, multiple past and present Chamber board members and Lott’s family were present during the two-hour sentencing.
The prosecution, which was seeking prison time, called only two witnesses during the sentencing: current chairman of the Chamber board Anne Shaffield and former board member Robyn Helt.
Each witness discussed how the fraud had negatively affected the Chamber and the community.
“This has been a devastating experience for the Chamber,” Helt said. “The Chamber has worked hard to build a legacy and do good things for the community. When something like this happens, it is a multi-faceted hurt.”
Lott’s defense attorney, Gill Powell, called six witnesses to testify on Lott’s behalf, including mental health counselor John Bingham who evaluated Lott’s mental condition following the incident.
Bingham stated that while Lott struggles with anxiety, depression and a bipolar disorder, she was aware of her actions.
“I believe she knew what she was doing,” Bingham said. “However, it doesn’t appear she had a great deal of reasoning behind some of the things she engaged in.”
Lott took the stand for a brief moment in order to give a statement of apology to the court.
“ I want to apologize to the court that we are even here in the first place,” Lott said while crying. “I would like to apologize for my actions. The only thing I can ask is that I be given a chance to make right what I’ve done wrong.”
After Lott’s statement, Flowers held a brief 15-minute recess before handing down the prison sentence.
“The things she has endured and her psychiatric needs did not affect her ability to decide to steal from the Chamber,” Flowers said. “She was not utilizing the things she stole to better other’s needs.”
After being sentenced, Lott was fingerprinted, and hugged her husband Derek. The couple were both crying as they embraced prior to Lott being taken into custody to begin her sentence.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Former chamber president Valerie Lott sentenced to prison for fraud