Dougherty tax assessor charged in criminal case will remain in position

ALBANY – A member of the Dougherty County Board of Assessors who faces felony criminal charges will continue to serve in the county position while those charges are being adjudicated.

The Dougherty County Commission sent an email earlier this week stating that Le’Nita Lane would stay on the board despite her arrest in July on charges that included theft by deception, forgery, computer theft and identity fraud. In the statement, the commission said that the charges are allegations and “do not constitute a finding of guilt” and that she is “presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.”

That assessment was shared by Commission Chairman Lorenzo Heard, who spoke to an Albany Herald reporter after the commission’s Monday meeting.

“I don’t know her story,” Heard said. “I do know everybody is innocent until proven guilty. If our attorney says that’s the way we need to handle it, then I support that.”

A decision on whether to retain or remove Lane from the tax board is up to commissioners, County Attorney Alex Shalishali said. While he did not make a recommendation on that decision, he did not find any legal requirement for her removal.

“I’m not aware of any rule that requires them to take action,” Shalishali said. “It’s up to their discretion.”

The tax assessor’s board consists of five members appointed by the County Commission. The board’s duties include appraising, assessing and equalizing the value of taxable real and personal property in the county.

The county will monitor the criminal proceedings and follow state law and county procedures in the matter, the statement said, and will not comment on the specific allegations, evidence or investigation.

“I think the statement speaks for itself,” Shalishali said.