(Stillwater) — A former payroll clerk for the Oak Grove School District located east of Cushing has pleaded guilty to embezzlement by overpaying herself $7,238.
Linda D. Poole, 41, of Oilton, has a plea bargain to serve 18 months of probation and pay $10,370 in restitution, according to her written guilty plea filed in court records on Nov. 13.
Poole remains free on $5,000 bond pending her sentencing on Jan. 8 before Payne County Associate District Judge Stephen Kistler, who has ordered a background report.
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 wrote in an affidavit.
“At this time, defendant was employed as the payroll clerk for the Oak Grove Public School. 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 affidavit said.
The embezzlement continued until Poole resigned, according to the affidavit.
When she was 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 paychecks too,” the 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 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.
Embezzlement carries a maximum penalty of 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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