Court reporter charged in embezzlement case

WARREN — A Bradley County court reporter was arrested on charges of embezzling more than $100,000 from the Arkansas Court Reporters Association, state Attorney General Leslie Rutledge announced Friday.

George Michael “Mike” Ashcraft, 59, was treasurer of the court reporters’ organization from 2006 until his resignation in 2018. He “manipulated, misappropriated and misused membership funds in excess of $100,000” from January 2015 to June 2018, according to a news release.

“In his position as treasurer, Ashcraft was in a position of trust and had full and complete access to association membership funds generated by membership dues,” the release states. “An audit found that Ashcraft took advantage of his position as treasurer … by comingling legitimate association purchases with his own personal purchases and purchases for others.”

A warrant for Ashcraft’s arrest was issued Tuesday. He turned himself in to Bradley County law enforcement and was charged with one count of felony theft of property. He has since been released on a $15,000 bond, according to the news release.

In Arkansas, a class B felony, like the one Ashcraft was charged with, is punishable by five to 20 years in prison.

Ashcraft is a member of the Arkansas Board of Certified Court Reporter Examiners, with his term expiring in July 2023, according to the board’s website. He worked in Bradley County for Circuit Judge Sam Pope in the state’s 10th Judicial District, according to the Board of Certified Court Reporter Examiners.