A 32-year-old Smithville man has been arrested by city police after allegedly stealing money from his employer in a phony merchandise return ploy that  authorities say involved forgery and theft.
Jason Brian Jones, former employee of Potters Home Center in Smithville,is charged with with forgery and felony theft over $1,000, and is under a $20,000 bond. He will be in court on Aug. 18.
Jones allegedly forged the names of people on several return slips between June 7 and July 30, then made out a check from the store for merchandise returns to those fictitious names.
According to Smithville Police Chief Randy Caplinger, he then forged the phony names on the checks, cashed them in the store, and pocketed the cash.
Jones reportedly garnered several thousand dollars with the ruse before being caught.
Police say Jones admitted to the crimes upon questioning.
Meanwhile, two local women were arrested after allegedly selling dilaudid to a confidential source
The city police department reports that 43-year-old Kimberly Patterson and 39-year-old Wanda Carol Mathis were each charged with one count of unlawful possession of a Schedule II controlled substance for sale and delivery in a recent controlled drug buy operation.
The two women were arrested on August 8, a few days after the alleged sale.
Police seized the vehicle the drugs were allegedly sold from, and bond for each woman is $25,000.
They will also appear in court on Aug. 18.
A man and woman were arrested on Aug. 7 after police received a report that someone in a vehicle in the parking lot of a local business appeared to be snorting something.
Caplinger reports that Russell Shannon Ester, 31, was charged with public intoxication and simple possession of a Schedule II, IV, and VI controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, and 36-year-old Lisa Marie Arnold was cited for simple possession of a Schedule II, IV, and VI controlled substance after city police reportedly arrived and caught the pair rolling what they believe to be a marijuana cigarette.
Ester bond totals $7,000, and both he and Arnold will appear in court on Aug. 18 as well.
Police say that they were notified that two people inside an automobile at Neo's restaurant appeared to be snorting drugs.
When officers arrived they allegedly saw Ester and Arnold inside the vehicle preparing to roll a substance believed to be marijuana into a cigarette.
The two were also reportedly found to be in possession of 26 pills suspected to be percocet, two pills suspected to be hydrocodone, and twelve pills suspected to be xanax.
The officers allege that a white powdery substance could also be seen on the seat of the vehicle.
Ester was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia when officers allegedly found a pill organizer, a pill bottle, a metal container and a straw on him.
 He was reportedly charged with public intoxication after he was judged to be unsteady on his feet, and his speech was found to be slurred.
Thomas Owens, 22, received a citation for theft on Aug. 4 after allegedly trying to steal $112 worth of merchandise from Wal Mart.
He will also be in court on Aug. 18.
Police say that Serena Lattimore, 24, was charged with child neglect after her seven-year-old daughter was found walking alone near DeKalb Community Bank on Aug. 5.
A motorist reportedly saw the child and notified authorities.
City police report that he girl told the officer that she was walking to school because she could not wake her mother.
The Department of Children Services was notified.
Lattimore's bond is $3,500.
City police have charged 29-year-old David Hollingsworth with domestic assault.
Police were reportedly dispatched to a Dearman Street residence to investigate a domestic complaint call.
Officers allegedly found Hollingsworth and a woman with signs of an assault on her left arm.
It was determined that Hollingsworth was responsible.
His bond is $3,500.
Police say that David Dixon was picked up for violation of probation on August 10, and was charged with simple possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance after officers found a pill while searching him.
His bond is $2,500 and he will be in court on August 25.
Meanwhile, 27-year-old Roxanna Landis was arrested after allegedly being found sitting on the sidewalk in front of Rite Aid Pharmacy on South Congress Boulevard.
Police were called to the scene and Landis reportedly told them that she had taken hydrocodone.
She was charged with public intoxication and possession of drug paraphernalia after officers reportedly found a syringe in her wallet.