Pender County Clerk Elizabeth Craver found not guilty on all charges

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A jury has found Pender County Clerk of Court Elizabeth Craver not guilty on all charges following a trial centered on allegations she improperly used county resources.

Craver had faced three felony counts of obtaining property by false pretenses stemming from an investigation into purchases made while she served as clerk. The investigation began in late 2023 after allegations surfaced that items such as an air conditioner, laptop and printer were purchased for personal use with county funds.

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation opened a probe into the allegations.

During the trial, prosecutors argued Craver used her position for personal gain and asked taxpayers to cover purchases intended for personal use. Her defense attorney argued there was no proof the items were for personal use and challenged the prosecution’s claims about how the purchases were made and used.

The verdict clears Craver of all criminal charges.

Craver has served as the elected clerk of court in Pender County and had continued to seek reelection while the case moved through the court system.

The prosecution did not want to speak following the verdict. We’ll hear from Craver coming up tonight on WWAY News.