Town of Apache employee accused of embezzling cash

ANADARKO — Missing money discovered during a routine internal audit for the Town of Apache has led to misdemeanor charges of embezzlement by a now-suspended town employee.

Kelly Lynn Lunsford, 45, of Apache, made her initial appearance Monday in Caddo County District Court where she received two misdemeanor charges of embezzlement of public money, records indicate.

It was discovered on July 27 that the audit determined $280 in cash was missing from a July 25 transaction. Apache Police Officer Ben Lehew stated there were two employees under supervision of the town clerk, one of whom was Lunsford, a full-time employee working in City Hall for 1½ years, the probable cause affidavit states. It was learned the other employee had taken a cash payment for a bill and put the money in an envelope. After reviewing security video, Lehew confirmed the woman’s story.

Lunsford, who wasn’t in the office at that time, returned around 1:15 p.m., the affidavit states. She worked until 5 p.m. and took the daily bank deposit to the bank at the end of the day, according to Lehew. She was off work for the next three days.

On July 27, the town clerk asked the other employee how long the customer had paid for his bill but was unable to find the receipt. The town clerk produced a computer-generated report that showed all receipts from July 25 and it was learned the $280 had been deleted and was not deposited, according to the affidavit. The money and receipt could not be located, the officer stated.

When Lunsford returned to work on July 31, stricter controls were put into place for the computer software. The next day, the Apache Police Department asked the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) to assist. The other employee and Lunsford were placed on leave during the criminal investigation, Lehew stated.

Lunsford asked the town clerk if all the drawers had been searched and then went to a drawer where she said, “Here it is, I found it,” and the money and deposit slip were found together, according to the affidavit. The deposit slip had Lunsford’s handwriting, even though she wasn’t present when the bill was paid, Lehew stated.

The next day, a search of Lunsford’s trash can turned up the original deposit slip, which was torn to shreds, the affidavit states. Further investigation revealed a similar loss of $118 from two receipts for money paid to the Town of Cyril, according to the investigator.

When questioned by investigators, Lunsford invoked her right to remain silent, Lehew stated.

Investigators looked at the receipt list for the town for the month of July and found 15 receipts unaccounted for with seven removed from the software system, the affidavit states. None were found missing following the July 25 incident, according to Lehew. There is continuing investigation into 12 of the missing receipts and more charges may be pending.

Following her walk-through booking Monday, Lunsford is free on $2,500 bond and returns to court at 9 a.m. Dec. 21 for her placement on the misdemeanor disposition docket, records indicate.