Local News in Brief : Clerks Charged in Thefts
Three county government clerks were charged Friday with embezzlement after a small-scale sting operation allegedly caught them trying to steal a total of $110 while on the job.
Sabrina Szuto, 23, Margarita Meza, 22, and Analynn Maria Fernandez, 21, were accused of pocketing fees from people wanting to certify fictitious business name statements at the downtown county courthouse in May and June. A criminal complaint alleges that Szuto took $47, Meza took $45 and Fernandez took $18.
“These relatively minor amounts represent the money they actually stole while being observed by county auditors posing as customers on June 24 and 27,” said Al Albergate, spokesman for the district attorney. “It is not known exactly how much money was stolen during (the two-month period),” Albergate said.
The three resigned from their jobs soon after being questioned about the thefts, Albergate said. An investigation is under way into whether others are involved.
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