LINCOLNTON – The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday, May 24, that it turned over $15,331.75 in unclaimed cash to the Lincoln County School System.

When he took office, Sheriff David Carpenter ordered a complete inventory at the sheriff’s office as required by law, according to a news release. That inventory revealed a large amount of cash, which auditors could not link to any active cases. The sheriff’s office reported the money had been there for years, and no one claimed it.

Special Deputy Attorney General Kelly Chambers reviewed the property report and determined the money should go to the Lincoln County Schools, based on a state statute.

“We are pleased to turn these monies over to the school system. This begins a new process of how our agency deals with cash money seizures,” Carpenter said. “From this point forward, cash seizures will be deposited with the Lincoln County Finance Department to relieve us from having cash monies on hand as evidence.”