A former probation officer accused of stealing a client’s money order pled guilty to forgery in DeKalb County Criminal Court last week.
Ashley Lasser, 31, a former employee of Community Probation Service (CPS), received a four-year sentence, fully suspended to judicial diversion probation. Under the agreement, Lasser is not allowed to work in law enforcement during her probation, and must pay $585 restitution to CPS.
A theft charge against her was dismissed.
According to her arrest warrant, Lasser passed a forged $50 money order at a local Dollar General Store in September 2014. The money order was apparently taken from a CPS client for a payment to Life Savers of Tennessee as payment for an anger management class.
Lasser was accused of marking out Life Savers of Tennessee on the money order and writing in Dollar General Store, then passing the forged document at the retail outlet. She reportedly used the money order to buy a drink, then received the remainder of the $50 back in cash.
She was terminated from CPS soon after the incident was discovered.
Meanwhile, Patsy Lynn Estes McCoy, 43, entered a plea to theft over $500, as well as two counts of auto burglary, and received a sentence of eight years, four years in each case, all suspended to supervised probation except for time served. The auto burglary sentences will run concurrently, but will be served consecutively with the theft sentence.
According to city police, Officer Lance Dillard responded to Walmart in reference to a shoplifter on April 4, and spoke with loss prevention associate who told the officer that he had seen McCoy take several shopping bags from the front of the store.
The store employee said he then observed her while she took several items, removed the price tags from them, and placed them in the bags. The value of the items was $535.98. She was arrested for theft of merchandise.
McCoy was arrested again on May 14 for burglary, theft and resist stop, halt, frisk, arrest, and search.
City police said Sergeant Brad Tatrow was called to the hospital to investigate reports of someone burglarizing vehicles in the parking lot. McCoy was allegedly found to have entered two vehicles in the emergency room parking lot without the knowledge or consent of the owners. She reportedly took items from each vehicle.
Police said the sergeant saw McCoy attempting to conceal something in her hand, and when he ordered her to produce it she refused. McCoy then pulled away as Sergeant Tatrow tried to retrieve the item. Police discovered that McCoy had also taken items from the medical floor without the knowledge or consent of hospital personnel.
Keith Dewey Higgins, 53, pled guilty to forgery, receiving a two-year sentence on supervised probation. He must pay $197.50 in restitution to Wilson Bank and Trust.
Cheryl Gotro, 55, pled guilty by information to reckless endangerment, receiving a suspended sentence of 11 months, 29 days on probation.
Andrew Wilbert, 37, pled guilty to driving under the influence, receiving an 11 month, 29 day sentence. He must serve 48 hours, and will then be on supervised probation. He was also fined $360.
