MONTEVIDEO - A prison sentence of one year and one day was stayed for a secretary accused of stealing more than $16,000 from the United Church of Christ in Montevideo.
Danielle Kay Farley, 33, of Willmar, must serve two years of probation with the requirement that she make restitution of $16,759.42 to the church and its insurance provider.
In a sentencing order issued Thursday in Chippewa County District Court in Montevideo, the court also ordered Farley to complete a problem gamblers assessment, to abstain from alcohol and other drugs, and to take prescribed medications.
She pleaded guilty to a felony charge of theft on April 9. A charge of financial card fraud was dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
The felony charges were filed against Farley on Nov. 29 for allegedly causing $16,319.27 worth of losses to the church.
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According to the complaint, trustees with the United Church of Christ in Montevideo contacted the Montevideo Police Department in October to report several thefts from the church's financial accounts at KleinBank in Montevideo.
The complaint alleges that the trustees found eight checks totaling $2,100.95 that were unauthorized and written by the defendant to herself between July 3 and Aug. 4.
An investigation also found 68 unauthorized withdrawals allegedly made by Farley of varying amounts and debit purchases, along with ATM fees, totaling approximately $14,218.32, according to the charges.
The investigating officer found that many of the transactions cited as irregular by the church trustees occurred at Prairie's Edge Casino Resort.
Video recordings obtained from the casino near Granite Falls clearly depicted Farley engaging in transactions that corresponded with those cited as irregular. The officer was able to account for $6,839.50 in 16 transactions with casino cashiers from Aug. 14 through Sept. 15, according to the complaint.
