(Stillwater) — A former payroll clerk for the Oak Grove School District located east of Cushing — who is accused of overpaying herself $7,238 — was ordered Monday to stand trial in Payne County District Court on an embezzlement charge.
Linda D. Poole, 40, of Oilton, waived her right to a preliminary hearing Monday on the felony charge. She remains free on $5,000 bond pending her trial court arraignment on Aug. 28 before Payne County Associate District Judge Stephen Kistler.
Oak Grove School Superintendent Koln Knight told Payne County Sheriff’s Deputy Daniel Nack on Oct. 16, 2008, that Poole had overpaid herself $7,238 between July of 2007 and August of 2008, Sheriff’s Investigator Larry Kitchel alleged in an affidavit.
“At this time, defendant was employed as the payroll clerk for the Oak Grove Public School,” according to the affidavit.
“For example, July 2007 records reflect defendant worked 118.43 hours, earning $1125.09, by hourly rate.
“The amount was adjusted for her to be paid $1365.87, a difference of $240.78,” the sheriff’s investigator’s affidavit said.
The alleged embezzlement continued until Poole resigned, according to the affidavit
Interviewed by Deputy Nack, “Defendant did acknowledge the overpayments, but was completely unaware of it during the time, not noticing the extra money,” according to the affidavit.
“Defendant says she messed up on other people’s paycheck too,” the sheriff’s investigator wrote in his affidavit.
“When Deputy Nack asked defendant about how you don’t notice $500 extra pay, defendant declined to answer,” the affidavit said.
Although Poole was charged in March with having embezzled $7,238 by allegedly overpaying herself, the school superintendent filed a restitution recovery form in April that showed the actual amount of the school’s loss as $10,370, court records show.
If convicted of embezzlement, Poole could be given as much as a five-year prison term and a $5,000 fine, in addition to an order to pay restitution, court documents filed by Payne County First Assistant District Attorney Tom Lee show.
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