WINDSOR – An employee of the Bertie County Water Department has been terminated and faces possible criminal prosecution.

Following a 20-minute closed session of the Bertie County Commissioners during their regularly scheduled meeting here yesterday (Monday) morning, a measure was approved to terminate county employee Vincent E. Brown.

During the closed session, the commissioners met with Bertie County Sheriff Greg Atkins and BCSO Detective Sgt. Ed Pittman.

Back in open session, the commissioners acted upon the recommendation of Lloyd Smith, who serves as the attorney for the board. That recommendation included termination of employment as well as referring the matter to judicial authorities for possible criminal prosecution.

Any money due Brown by the county in regards to his previous employment will be withheld pending resolution of the matter.

The News-Herald was able to learn that Brown allegedly took a gas card belonging to one county vehicle and, using the pin number supplied to him by the county to purchase gasoline for county-owned vehicles, charged gas for use in his personal vehicle.

That, according to attorney Smith, constitutes larceny by an employee, a felony.

The amount of gas charged by Smith for use in his personal vehicle was reported at $3,035.17.

Apparently, Brown had been charging the gas for his personal use since at least January of this year. Those charges were detected by the Bertie County Finance Department and brought to the attention of county officials.

The Bertie Sheriff’s Office completed its investigation of the matter and forwarded its findings to the commissioners during Monday’s meeting.