District court
Kandiyohi County
n Keri Lynn Loftness, 35, of Spicer was sentenced Tuesday for stealing money and mail from Schiller Custom Cabinets and Logical Garage, where she had worked as a receptionist and bookkeeper.
Judge Donald Spilseth sentenced Loftness to five years of probation. A 30-day jail sentence was stayed. She was ordered to pay restitution and fines of $33,531.34, provide 100 hours of community service, attend therapy and participate in a property crime impact panel and victim/ offender mediation session.
Schiller had been charged with 13 counts, including multiple charges of theft by swindle and financial transaction card fraud. According to the court file, between 2001 and 2004, Loftness took more than $60,000 from the company by using the company's credits cards and check book to make personal purchases. The purchases were made at super markets, department stores, gas stations. Online purchases were also made and she purchased a new computer through the company's Dell account.
ADVERTISEMENT
Dec. 28, 2004 Loftness was confronted by the company's owner about an $8,400 expense on a company credit card. She was terminated from her job the same day. The next day she picked up the company's mail from the Spicer Post Office.
After the company notified authorities about the one credit card charge, the other unauthorized expenditures were discovered. Documents revealed that Loftness had paid $21,831.27 towards some of the accounts with her personal money. Most of those payments were made shortly before or after the theft was discovered, according to court records. Loftness admitted she had an addiction to spending money.
On Sept. 19, 2005, Loftness pleaded guilty to one count of financial transaction card fraud and one count of mail theft. The other 11 charges were dismissed.
Theft
PAYNESVILLE - The theft of tools and log chain was reported at 5:02 p.m. Monday. The theft occurred in the 18000 block of 190th Street Northeast in rural Paynesville, in Kandiyohi County.
Burglary
LAKE LILLIAN - CDs and DVDs were reported stolen from a home in the 800 block of Second Street East in Lake Lillian on Tuesday morning.
Graffiti
ADVERTISEMENT
WILLMAR - At 12:58 p.m. Tuesday, an individual reported that gang-related graffiti was found on a house in the 900 block of Fifth Street Southwest.
Vandalism
WILLMAR - The phone lines at Lundquist Auto, located in the 200 block of Benson Avenue Southeast were cut. The incident was reported at 8:24 a.m. Tuesday. The business has had its phone lines cut at least a half-dozen times in recent weeks, according to the Willmar Police.
Accidents
MONTEVIDEO -- Two people were injured Monday afternoon in a two-vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 212 two miles west of Montevideo in Lac qui Parle County.
According to the Minnesota State Patrol, Trisha Ann Schmeising, 20, of Holloway was driving a 2001 Chevrolet Impala when she collided with a 1988 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck driven by Beverly Mae Botten, 66, of Montevideo.
Both were treated and released at the Chippewa County - Montevideo Hosptial. Neither were wearing seatbelts.
WILLMAR -- Willmar Police responded to a two-vehicle personal injury accident just after 3 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of Eighth Street Southwest and Monongalia Avenue.
ADVERTISEMENT
According to a preliminary police report, two Willmar residents were the drivers. It wasn't clear what the extent of the injuries were Tuesday night.
