Quitman County Coroner, aunt plead guilty in fraud case

JACKSON, Miss. (Sept. 18, 2025) — Quitman County Coroner Randy Hester and his aunt, Brenda Pittman, have pleaded guilty in a scheme to defraud taxpayers through fraudulent invoices, Mississippi State Auditor Shad White announced Thursday.

Hester admitted to charges of making false representations to defraud the government and conspiracy to fraudulently obtain public funds. Pittman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the state.

According to investigators, Hester and Pittman created a fictitious company called MFC Transit and opened a bank account listing Hester’s personal address as the business address. Hester then submitted false invoices claiming the business transported bodies, while in reality, other funeral homes handled the work. As county coroner, Hester was prohibited from billing the county for routine body transportation.

“Our investigators work tirelessly to uncover cases just like this one,” White said. “We will continue to work directly with prosecutors to deliver record results for taxpayers.”

Hester was sentenced to five years of probation, ordered to pay $12,350 in restitution, and fined $500. Pittman was sentenced to two years of probation.

The State Auditor’s Office encourages citizens to report suspected fraud by visiting www.osa.ms.gov or by calling 1-800-321-1275.