Councilwoman accused of welfare fraud resigns in Fountain

By Savannah Eller | The Gazette

Fountain City Councilwoman Detra Duncan announced her resignation Tuesday. The councilwoman has been accused of public assistance fraud dating back years, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by the Gazette.

Duncan said in a statement to the city that her resignation was not an admission of wrongdoing.

“While I firmly believe in the integrity of my service and my commitment to the residents of Fountain, I also recognize that recent circumstances have cast a shadow over my ability to serve effectively. The people of our community deserve leadership that can govern without distraction or doubt,” she wrote.

According to the affidavit filed in June, investigators with the El Paso and Jefferson County Departments of Human Services allegedly found discrepancies between Duncan’s paperwork and the real circumstances of her home life that would have disqualified her for years of medical and food assistance.

Duncan has been charged with theft in the Fourth Judicial District. The affidavit alleged that she lied about being a caretaker for two relatives who lived with her, with investigators later discovering the two people were deceased and had lived out of state.

The affidavit also claimed Duncan was not qualified for assistance due to her husband’s employment at the U.S. Postal Service. Duncan also concealed her status as an elected official, whiting out her position on city of Fountain pay stubs submitted in her applications, according to the affidavit.

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