VIENNA TWP., Ohio - Vienna Township Trustee Phil Pegg tells 21 News that former Fiscal Officer Linda McCullough “Tried to destroy the township and did it to cover her thefts.”

That’s Pegg’s reaction to the news that the Trumbull County Grand Jury has indicted McCullough on seven felonies.

McCullough, 55, of Vienna, was indicted Wednesday on two counts of theft in office, telecommunication fraud, and four counts of tampering with records.

The Ohio Auditor declared Vienna Township a fiscal emergency after tax and township funds were reported missing earlier this year.

According to the indictment, McCullough was using these funds to pay off personal expenses from credit card bills including personal and private charges from stores like Walmart, Amazon, Sam's Club, Lowe's and much more.

The indictment further states that the tampering with records charges stem from McCullough allegedly submitting false records including Uniform Accounting Network reports to hide that she was using township money for personal expenses.

The auditor found that township emergency services caused the bulk of Vienna's deficit, stating that the township was $1,459,267 in the hole.

However, Pegg says the state audit is still ongoing, and the township is still waiting for word on how much money is missing.

McCollough’s term ended in March and the candidate who beat her in an election subsequently resigned. Pegg says McCullough didn’t train a successor before her term ended.

The township's financial issues have led to layoffs within the fire and police departments.

A criminal investigation has been ongoing since the missing funds were first discovered after township employees, including the Vienna fire and police departments, went unpaid.

McCullough will be called before Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Judge Cynthia Wescott Rice for arraignment on November 6.