WASHINGTON—A former LaPorte County deputy auditor has been indicted by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Indiana for embezzling over $150,000 from the LaPorte County government and committing tax fraud.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney David Capp of the Northern District of Indiana made the announcement.

The indictment returned on Sept. 10, 2014, charges Mary Ray, 66, of La Porte, Indiana, with two counts each of theft of government monies and of making false statements on a tax return.

According to the indictment, from September 2011 through December 2012 and while she was working as an auditor, Ray embezzled more than $5,000 from LaPorte County, which had received more than $10,000 in federal benefits in both 2011 and 2012.

The indictment also alleges that Ray underreported her income on her U.S. Individual Tax Returns in 2011 and 2012 by failing to report the embezzled funds.

An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Indiana State Police, the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department and the Indiana State Board of Accounts. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Peter Halpern of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald J. Schmid of the Northern District of Indiana.