UPDATE: CLACKAMAS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE INVESTIGATES AND ARRESTS CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE FOR THEFT OF MONEY
Posted: March 11th, 2010 4:10 PM
Photo/sound file: http://www.flashalertnewswire.net/images/news/2010-03/624/Annette_M._Smith.jpg (Annette M. Smith)
The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office
Jim Strovink, Detective
Office of Public Information
12700 SE 82nd Avenue, Clackamas, Oregon 97015
News Release ** (Photo Attached) **
The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office has successfully concluded a criminal investigation concerning a former Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, civilian / support-staff employee, who previously worked in the Concealed Handgun Licensing (CHL) unit fingerprinting and collecting licensing renewal fees at the Public Safety Training Center in Clackamas.
This former employee is identified as Annette M. Smith, age 40, who resides in Estacada. Smith was first hired by the Sheriff's Office in September 1991, and was formally terminated from her position on November 5, 2009.
In August 2009, Clackamas County Sheriff's Office personnel first detected some accounting irregularities -- during the course of a routine audit -- in the business records maintained by Annette Smith. The Sheriff's Office immediately launched a criminal investigation into these irregularities and completed an expanded audit of these particular business records.
On Sept. 28, 2009, Annette Smith was interviewed by Clackamas County Sheriff's Office detectives, who confronted Smith with the results of their ongoing criminal investigation. As a result -- on this same date -- Smith was placed on administrative leave by the Sheriff's Office, and was soon terminated from her civilian employee position on Nov. 5, 2009.
The results of that criminal investigation were submitted to the Clackamas County District Attorney's Office for consideration of prosecution soon thereafter on December 9th, 2009. This criminal case submitted to the District Attorney's Office, was then presented to a Clackamas County Grand Jury in February 2010 -- resulting in arrest warrants issued for Annette Smith.
The Sheriff's Office formally received arrest warrants for Annette Smith late in the day on Wednesday, March 10, 2010. Smith was made aware of the existing warrants on Thursday, March 11, 2010 and surrendered herself to Clackamas County Jail personnel at approximately 3:00 p.m. Smith was then booked and processed in the Jail on the following related charges:
• Theft in the First Degree -- three counts
• Forgery in the First Degree -- one count
• Official Misconduct -- two counts
• Theft II -- one count
• Theft III -- one count
The total bail amount for these charges is $40,000. Smith arranged to post the required 10% bail, totaling $4,000.00 and was released from custody. The next scheduled court appearance on this matter for Annette M. Smith is set for April 8, 2010 at 1:30 p.m.
Clackamas County Sheriff's Office supervisors overseeing this licensing unit have identified precisely how this individual employee is believed to have surreptitiously collected and retained cash while conducting renewal license transactions with the general public.
To help ensure against future thefts of cash, supervisors have implemented a new, complex, secure method of conducting these types of transactions. One significant enhanced-security change: no further cash transactions are accepted for this CHL fingerprinting service. The public can be assured that no fraudulent use of a credit card transactions were uncovered during this investigation -- cash only.
In addition to the alleged theft of cash -- which investigators can "readily prove" to be at least $3,500, and perhaps significantly higher -- Smith is also accused of fraudulently endorsing a renewed Concealed Handgun License for her own personal benefit.
The total dollar loss being sought as restitution by the Sheriff's Office, has not yet been negotiated with the attorneys involved on both sides of this ongoing legal process. Sheriff's Office investigators believe Smith retained at least $3,500 between the months of January and September, 2009. The total financial loss requiring restitution has not yet been fully affirmed and negotiated by the prosecutor.
Once again, Sheriff Roberts is fervently committed to transparency while holding each of his employees accountable for any of their misguided actions. And, he will rightfully continue to insist upon swift prosecution of those who should engage in any form of criminal misconduct. [END]
Jim Strovink, Detective
Public Information Officer
Clackamas County Sheriff's Office
(503) 237-2643
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