[7/11/03]JACKSON n A Vicksburg woman waived her right to a federal grand jury Thursday over charges of embezzling $637,855 from federal agencies during a 4 1/2 year period.

Debra P. Strickland, 45, 325 Lakeside Drive, was charged with embezzling the money from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency between Sept. 15, 1998, and March 24, 2003.

Strickland was accused of stealing the money while serving as treasurer of the Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee. The committee was established in 1994 with a fiscal year 2000 budget of $159,000.

Strickland, who was represented by Vicksburg Attorney Travis T. Vance Jr., told U. S. Magistrate Alfred G. Nicols Jr. that she was aware of her right to a federal grand jury for the felony charge but chose to waive it.

The judge said in court that it’s common for people to waive the right to a grand jury when it’s likely they will be indicted.

The conservation committee’s goals include restoring and enhancing aquatic habitat in the lower Mississippi River areas, raising awareness and encouraging sustainable use of the area’s natural resources.

The EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers helped fund the committee.

Nicols released Strickland with an unsecured $10,000 bond. She will be able to travel to Alabama to visit one of her children and to Louisiana to visit her mother while waiting her next court date.

Strickland faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.

Strickland said she’d been seeing a psychiatrist for emotional and mental problems.

Neither Strickland nor Vance would comment after court.

Nicols set an Aug. 4 court date in Vicksburg for Strickland to enter plea for the felony charge against her.