Accused of stealing nearly $1.2 million, former McCreery Aviation administrator pleads not guilty

McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A former McCreery Aviation administrator who allegedly misappropriated nearly $1.2 million pleaded not guilty to fraud charges on Friday.

Elizabeth Batten, 57, of Mission — the company’s former director of Finance and Administration — appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker on Friday morning.

“Not guilty,” Batten said, when asked how she pleaded.

McAllen-based McCreery Aviation provides a wide array of aviation services, including aircraft maintenance, charter flights and pilot training.

Bob McCreery, who owns the company, frequently traveled for work, according to the indictment, and left signed checks for Batten to pay company bills. Batten also had access to McCreery Aviation’s bank accounts and corporate credit card.

In 2023, the company discovered “irregularities in the handling of company checks,” according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas. An investigation revealed Batten had misappropriated nearly $1.2 million.

“She used signed blank company checks, intended for legitimate business purposes, to settle her personal credit card accounts,” according to the news release, which summarized the charges against Batten. “She allegedly concealed her actions by sending the fraudulent payments through the U.S. Postal Service.”

Batten appeared before a judge Friday morning at the federal courthouse in McAllen.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Flores, who is prosecuting the case, said the government had no objection to bond.

“She’s already surrendered the firearms that were in her house,” said attorney Chris Sully of McAllen, who represents Batten. “They’re in my possession. And I have her passport with me, ready to surrender that as well.”

Hacker, the federal judge, set bond at $50,000 with no cash deposit required.

While on bond, Batten may not use alcohol “excessively,” Hacker said, and cannot take any substance “containing or marketed as containing CBD.”

Batten is charged with 10 counts of mail fraud. If convicted, she faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.