Ex-Employee of Caldwell Parish District Attorney May Have Taken at Least $17,238 in Funds

An investigative audit has found that a former employee of the District Attorney for the 37th Judicial District diverted at least $17,238 in cash and money orders between January 2015 and September 2017 for her personal use.

During the time period in question, the former employee was the coordinator of the office’s Worthless Check Division (WCD). Vendors in Caldwell Parish who receive worthless checks can submit them to the District Attorney’s office for collection. The WCD coordinator received copies of the worthless checks and documented the cases in CRIMES (the District Attorney’s case management software).

She then sent “demand letters” to people who issued the worthless checks telling them they were required to pay the District Attorney the original check amount, plus a merchant service charge of $25 per check and a statutory fee of $35 per check, by a specified date or face formal charges. As WCD coordinator, the employee collected the payments, service charges, and statutory fees; issued receipts for payments; recorded payments into CRIMES; and prepared the deposit for another District Attorney employee to take to the bank.

A review of the records showed that between January 2015 and September 2017 the employee received at least $9,468 in cash and money orders payable to, or intended for, the District Attorney’s office that were not deposited to the District Attorney’s bank account. In addition, auditors found $7,770 recorded in the CRIMES database between January 2015 and August 2017 that did not appear to have been deposited into an office bank account. The employee admitted she had taken money since at least September 2015 and had gotten rid of receipt books to conceal the theft. Her employment with the District Attorney was terminated in September 2017.

By taking cash and money orders payable to, or intended for, the District Attorney’s office, using the proceeds for personal expenses, recording payments that do not appear to have been deposited, and destroying public records, the former employee may have violated state and federal laws.