The former supervisor of the communications dispatch center at the Austin-Mower County Law Enforcement Center has been charged with embezzling thousands of dollars.

Wednesday, June 07, 2000

The former supervisor of the communications dispatch center at the Austin-Mower County Law Enforcement Center has been charged with embezzling thousands of dollars.

Carla Jean Stoa, 42, of rural Austin, was employed as the supervisor of the dispatch center until her termination as a Mower County employee early this year.

In a complaint signed today by Mower County Third Judicial District Court Judge Donald E. Rysavy, the former longtime county employee is charged with two counts of felony theft, two felony counts of embezzlement of public funds more than $2,500 and theft under $200, a misdemeanor.

The case will be prosecuted in Fillmore County District Court.

Stoa declined comment today on the allegations when contacted by the Austin Daily Herald.

Based on the criminal complaint filed by Terese Amazi, chief deputy in the Mower County Sheriff’s Department, the possible thefts of public monies came to the attention of county officials on Nov. 4.

An unidentified county employee confronted Amazi about missing monies. Amazi started the investigation on her own and noted receipts for regular deposits were missing.

Sheriff Barry J. Simsonson told Amazi to compute how much money was missing and she told him an estimated $4,000.

County Coordinator Craig Oscarson was contacted Nov. 11, when he and Amazi agreed to pursue the investigation in the absence of the county sheriff.

When Stoa originally was questioned about the missing monies, she denied any involvement. Stoa was placed on administrative leave while the matter was investigated.

When Amazi and County Human Resources Director Al Cordes searched Stoa’s desk, they found "thousands of dollars worth of uncashed checks made out to the LEC," according to the complaint.

Minnesota state auditor’s office investigator Kathy Docter was asked to assist in the investigation.

As the investigation intensified, the amount of missing monies grew and Stoa finally was questioned in December. At that time, she admitted taking money from a D&R vending account and other sources during her employment with the county.

According to the complain, "She knew this was stealing and that the loss would be in the thousands."

An independent investigation by the state auditor’s office confirmed the other investigations.

The theft by embezzlement went on for about a year’s time, Stoa told investigators. She admitted to investigators the thefts could be between $3,120 and $10,400.

When Stoa’s desk was searched, a total of $6,788 in uncashed checks for the county were found that had not been cashed and deposited.