Former Aurora City Manager Accused Of Theft Of More Than $300,000 – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

The former city manager of Aurora was jailed Thursday for allegedly stealing more than $300,000 from the 2,500-year-old Wise County town.

Toni Wheeler was charged by a civil servant with theft of more than $300,000 and released from the Wise County Jail for $100,000.

Wheeler was a longtime city manager in Aurora until she was fired in October.

Wise County Sheriff’s Office

Wise County Attorney James Stainton said the charges came after a lengthy investigation by the Texas Rangers including a suspicious fire that destroyed the town’s town hall in June.

City Councilor Deb Terrell said she would push other city leaders to hire forensic experts to track down money that may have been stolen.

Terrell says the problem is a complete lack of accountability.

For the first two years after being elected, the city council held only one meeting, and Wheeler ran the city’s finances with little oversight, Terrell said.

Terrell asked to see the city’s budget and three-year audit just two weeks before the fire consumed the city’s town hall, she said.

Wheeler could not be reached for comment.

Stainton said his office will work to recover the stolen funds for citizens of Aurora.

He added that the investigation is continuing and there could be more allegations.

Aurora is best known for the legend that a UFO landed there in 1897 and the locals buried one of the aliens.