A former board of education member is due to appear in Union County District Court on September 25, after she was charged with misdemeanor fraud charges by agents from the State Bureau of Investigation today.

Marcella Ramirez Savage, 42, of Waxhaw, was charged with two counts of swearing falsely to official reports, two counts of obtaining repairs and supplies for private a vehicle, and one count of enforcement of local government finance. The charges relate to activities conducted from May 10, 2013, through September 18, 2014.

The timeframe for the charges occurred during the period Savage was a board member for both the Union County Board of Education and the N.C. State Board of Education. Savage resigned from the State board in 2014 but remained with the Union County board until early 2015.

Savage was charged by way of a criminal summons which notifies the defendant to appear in court on a given date.

Union County Sheriff Eddie Cathey requested the SBI to conduct the investigation as initial allegations surfaced about “double dipping” or filing reimbursements for both boards simultaneously.

The SBI consulted with both the Union County District Attorney’s office and the Wake County District Attorney’s office before charging Savage.

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