A former clerk at a local tobacco store pleaded guilty Monday in Garland County Circuit Court to stealing almost $3,000 from the business last year.
Christina Ann Wagner, 34, who lists a Malvern address, pleaded guilty to a felony count of theft of property more than $1,000 and was sentenced to five years' probation, fined $1,500 and ordered to pay $420 in court costs.
According to the affidavit, on Oct. 6, 2016, the manager of the Tobacco Outlet, 1212 Albert Pike, reported a theft of funds from the business by an employee, identified as Wagner. The manager had surveillance footage showing Wagner making returns on the cash register while no customers were present.
The fraudulent transactions, which occurred at periodic times in September and October 2016, totaled $2,886.
Hot Springs police Detective Nathan Rines reviewed the footage and confirmed Wagner, who was logged into her employee account at the time, could be seen making transactions while no customers were there. She could be seen taking items off the shelf and scanning them into the register to credit them to her account.
When confronted by the manager, Wagner admitted to the thefts and was terminated on Oct. 5, 2016. The original amount discovered on her account was $2,466.44, but it was found she had also used other employees' log in accounts to fraudulently make transactions.
Wagner was arrested on March 20 and later released on $2,500 bond. She was set to stand trial Dec. 7.
• A local man pleaded guilty Monday in circuit court to a felony domestic battery charge stemming from an incident earlier this year.
Shane Lee Goines, 26, who had remained in custody since his arrest June 9 in lieu of $10,000 bond, pleaded guilty to third-degree domestic battery, second offense, which was amended from an original charge of first-degree battery, and was sentenced to three years' probation, 120 days in jail, fined $500 and ordered to pay $370 in court costs.
Goines, who was previously convicted of third-degree domestic battery on Nov. 25, 2009, and on April 16, 2015, in Garland County District Court, was given credit for time served since his arrest so he was released after the hearing.
According to the affidavit, on June 9, shortly before 2 p.m., police Officer Justin Bradbury responded to Goines' residence regarding a domestic disturbance and made contact with his live-in girlfriend who stated she had been arguing with Goines and then he punched her in the face.
The officer noted she had redness and swelling to her left cheek and under her left eye and a cut to her lower lip. She noted Goines is the father of her two children. Goines was taken into custody without incident.
Local on 11/15/2017