Ex-St. Louis’ prosecutor admits he misused public funds and avoids criminal charges

Associated Press

Federal authorities say a former prosecutor in St. Louis admitted to misusing thousands of dollars in public funds to pay herself, after being fined for mistakes she made while prosecuting a Republican governor. The U.S. attorney’s office said Wednesday that former U.S. Attorney Kim Gardner had her employees reimburse her from her office’s contingency fund, which she should not have done. Gardner will avoid federal criminal prosecution as long as he returns the $5,004 and follows the other rules of a pretrial diversion agreement. Gardner, a Democrat, was elected in 2016 as part of a movement of progressive prosecutors. He resigned last year under fire.