EX-AGENCY DIRECTOR CHARGED WITH EMBEZZLEMENT

A former program director at the state's substance abuse agency on Friday
was charged with embezzling more than $48,500 from the department during an
almost two-year period.

Agents from the State Law Enforcement Division arrested Katherine Yandle,
36, of 149 Greensprings Court, late Friday afternoon. Yandle is charged
with 10 counts of forgery, embezzlement of public funds, obstructing
justice and conspiracy. She was taken to the Richland County jail.

She couldn't be reached for comment.

Yandle resigned from her job at the state Department of Alcohol and Other
Drug Abuse Services on May 1, said interim director Wendell Price. She was
coordinator of a program that helps children being released from the state
Department of Juvenile Justice, Price said.

Yandle is charged with embezzling $48,789.77 from the state Department of
Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services between July 28, 2000, and March 13,
2002, according to arrest warrants. She also told witnesses to lie to
agents investigating the case between April 22 and April 30, warrants state.

Yandle is accused of forging checks written for other programs and
diverting them into her bank account, warrants state.

A routine review revealed financial irregularities, Price said. Afterward,
agency officials contacted SLED agents to investigate, he said.

"As far as we can tell, this was a single individual who acted alone who
will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Price said.

He said he's not aware of any other substance abuse agency employees being
investigated in the case.

SLED spokeswoman Kathryn Richardson said agents still are investigating,
but declined to elaborate.

Price said he doesn't know why Yandle would have taken money from the
agency. The program she coordinated still is operating and has not been
affected because of missing money, Price said.

Yandle's arrest comes as SLED, the state Ethics Commission and 5th Circuit
Solicitor Barney Giese are investigating a separate case involving legal
and political campaign materials that were found on a substance abuse
agency computer.

Giese said in a letter earlier this month to the commission that the
inquiry revealed at least one employee of the agency used a state-owned
computer to conduct nonagency related legal affairs. Information seized, he
said, "reveals documentation related to Director Rick Wade's potential race
for the office of secretary of state."

Wade, who resigned as director of the state's substance abuse agency
earlier this month to concentrate on his campaign for secretary of state,
has said that he carefully separated his job from his campaign work.