A former communications dispatch supervisor at the Austin-Mower County Law Enforcement Center was sentenced Friday to 90 days in jail for pleading guilty to one count of embezzlement and a second count of felony theft.

Monday, October 23, 2000

A former communications dispatch supervisor at the Austin-Mower County Law Enforcement Center was sentenced Friday to 90 days in jail for pleading guilty to one count of embezzlement and a second count of felony theft.

Carla Jean Stoa, 42, also has to pay back $7,500 – money she stole from the LEC over a year’s time beginning in November 1998.

Two other felony counts and one misdemeanor count of theft were dismissed, according to the plea agreement with Fillmore County Attorney Matt Opat. The two final charges, however, could have carried a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail and a $20,000 fine each.

Although Stoa actually was sentenced to a year and a day in prison, visiting Judge Robert Benson stayed the prison sentence for five years and will allow the former public employee a work release provision while she is serving her 90 days. He denied a request for home arrest with electronic monitoring.

Stoa’s attorney, Bill Bodensteiner, told the judge he felt the sentence of 90 days in jail was "a little too harsh."

In the courtroom Friday afternoon, Stoa apologized for her actions, adding that she was under great personal stress at the time of the thefts and that she regretted her actions terribly.

Although Stoa wasn’t prosecuted by the Mower County attorney’s office to avoid any question of conflict of interest, County Attorney Pat Oman called it a "sad case all around."

"It’s especially sad since in that line of work you really rely on public trust," Oman said. "I know they will pay the money back and we wish them the best, but it really does put a slam on a lot of the people in the LEC. I hope there is no long-term damage to the relationship between law enforcement and the public as a result of this."

The former communications supervisor had worked more than 20 years at the LEC, and had been a highly trusted employee.

According to 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, 1999. An unidentified county employee confronted Amazi about the missing monies. Amazi started the investigation on her own and noted receipts for regular deposits were missing. Upon further investigation, she found thousands of dollars worth of uncashed checks in Stoa’s desk.

Minnesota state auditor’s office investigator Kathy Doctor was asked to assist in the investigation and the Steele County Sheriff’s Department took over, again, to avoid any conflict of interest in the investigation of the long-time county employee.

The exact amount of money stolen by Stoa never was determined: she admitted it could be between $3,120 and $10,400.

Both the 90 days in jail and the $7,500 were conditions of parole. Under conditions of her parole, Stoa also must write a letter of apology to her employer and co-workers, undergo a mental health evaluation, take a personal finance class and work out a restitution payment plan.

In actuality, Stoa likely will serve 60 days under Minnesota law, which requires that two-thirds of the sentence be served, Oman said.