Cashier charged with stealing 59K
Published Thursday, July 3, 2008
Nearly $60,000 is missing from the coffers of a Perham grocery store and authorities say the former head cashier is the suspect.
Francis M. Williams, 25, 612 Pine Lane Drive, Perham, has been charged in Otter Tail County Court with two felonies — theft and theft by swindle — after allegedly taking $59,000 from Dean’s Country Market, 211 Marker Dr., Perham, between September 2007 and May 2008.
Dean’s Country Market is owned by State Representative Dean Simpson (R-Perham).
Money problems caught the eye of store managers in May when they noticed cash proceeds reported by cash registers were not matching bank deposit slips prepared by Williams or deposits she personally delivered to the bank.
Store managers met with Williams the day that cash discrepancies were discovered. Williams denied taking the money and was at a loss explaining its disappearance, court records state. Williams eventually walked out of the interview.
Store personnel specificly connected Williams to the missing money after a bookkeeping audit. The store manager said the missing money was specific to Williams because she was the only employee with authorization to empty the tills working on the days that discrepancies were discovered, court records state.
All of the discrepancies were on deposit slips prepared specifically by Williams, investigation reports state.
Perham Police Chief Brian Nelson interviewed Williams on June 4, 2008 but she refused to make a statement on advice from her attorney.
On June 9 the results of an audit of Dean’s Country Market’s books was completed. The audit revealed that $58,964 was missing. The shortages were consistent with methods of reporting cash shortages, court records state. On some days, however, actual reports were missing.
A criminal complaint against Williams was filed last week. It was filed by the Otter Tail County Attorney’s Office on Wednesday.
Williams’ first court appearance has yet to be scheduled. If found guilty she could face a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine on each charge.