A former employee of the local Arkansas State Revenue Office pleaded guilty Tuesday to felony charges involving the theft of over $1,200 from a customer in 2018 following an investigation by the state.
Faleasha Ann Young, 55, of Hot Springs, pleaded guilty in Garland County Circuit Court to computer fraud and theft of property over $1,000, each punishable by up to six years in prison, while an additional misdemeanor charge of theft of property under $1,000, involving her disposing of one of her own payments, was withdrawn.
Young, who lists no prior criminal history, entered her plea under Act 346 for first-time offenders and was sentenced to five years' probation, fined $1,500 and ordered to pay $1,217.14 in restitution and $440 in court costs.
According to the probable cause affidavits, on Oct. 3, 2018, Arkansas State Revenue Office Administrator Mandy Endsley requested an internal investigation by the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration police regarding a check for $1,217.14 missing from the Sept. 24, 2018, bank deposit from the revenue office at 200 Woodbine St.
Endsley noted the missing check was from a customer made payable to the ADFA for registration and titling purposes on a vehicle belonging to the customer. She also noted the registration transaction was conducted by an employee, identified as Young.
On Oct. 10, 2018, ADFA officer Jason Stephenson made contact with the customer, who confirmed she had registered her vehicle at the Hot Springs Revenue Office on Sept. 24 and that she paid in cash.
On Oct. 11, Stephenson interviewed Young, who admitted to conducting the transaction with the customer and that she stole the $1,217.14 in cash intended as payment. She also admitted that she accessed the office's AIRS computer system and "intentionally entered fraudulent payment information" on the customer's account making it appear the registration fees were paid by personal check.
The affidavit on the misdemeanor charge states that Endsley noted there was also a personal check for $638.57 missing from the Sept. 19, 2018, bank deposit. The check was written by Young and made payable to the ADFA for registration and titling fees on Young's 2011 Chevrolet Malibu.
When questioned by Stephenson, Young admitted that on Sept. 20, 2018, she transported the Sept. 19 day's deposit to the bank and "removed her personal check from the deposit bag, placed it in her purse and later threw it in the trash at her home."
After further investigation, a warrant for Young's arrest was issued on Nov. 16, 2018. She was arrested on Jan. 28, and released later that same day on a $2,500 bond. The case was bound over to circuit court where her arraignment was postponed several times due to COVID-19 delays and was finally set for a hearing Tuesday for her arraignment and to determine the admissibility of statements she made to Stephenson.
Young appeared Tuesday with her attorney, Brandon Crawford, and opted to plead guilty to the charges.