A woman who stole from her job, after her employers tried to help her family, Teresa Lessa, was adjudicated guilty and sentenced to 6 years in prison, followed by 15 years of probation, for Theft and Criminal Use of Personal Identification. She was also ordered to pay $107,000 in restitution. She must serve at least 5 years in prison due to the minimum/mandatory requirements on those charges.
Assistant State Attorney J.D. Miller, State Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit Chief, prosecuted the case.
The defendant worked at a restaurant on Boca Grande. Her employers had helped her financially due to her child needing medical attention after he was bitten by an alligator. When she would come to the restaurant to receive money, she would steal checks from the business. She would write the checks to herself and forge the manager’s signature.
The restaurant noticed large amounts of money missing and contacted law enforcement. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office Economic Crimes Unit investigated the case.
Samantha Syoen – State Attorney’s Office Communications Director