ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — 9 Investigates discovered the Orange County clerk of courts latest hire has a criminal record involving felony charges.
Clerk of Court Tiffany Russell has hired her Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority sister Roberta Walton for the new position of self-help division manager.
Court records show Walton, who is an attorney, plead guilty 15 years ago to two federal felony charges in a $52,000 check-fraud scheme when she was a bank teller in Tallahassee.
At the time, she went by Roberta Riggins.
She was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $26,000 restitution.
“It seems like the clerk is treating her office like something she owns. From all her appearances, hiring a personal friend, creating a job for her,” said WFTV political analyst Rick Foglesong. “Moreover, a friend with question marks in her background.”
Walton did disclose the conviction on her application for the new position.
The clerk’s office said the job was not posted on the public website.
It was posted internally, for five days in late May and early June as a “pre-identified candidate selected” position.
“This does not look like a merit selection. Rather, it looks like a position was created for a friend and no one else was invited to apply,” Foglesong said.
A county email said Walton will be assisting the public with domestic cases, small claims and landlord-tenant cases.
WFTV
