[Tim]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2013/0...31413522744.txt

MICHIGAN CITY — The director of shelter operations at the Michiana Humane Society & SPCA in Michigan City is facing two class C felonies — one for forgery and one for theft in excess of $100,000 — and will appear for her initial hearing in La Porte County Superior Court 1 before Judge Kathleen Lang at 8:30 a.m. today.

Jennifer M. Westphal, 41, 3006 Wrobel Ave., is accused of having written multiple checks signed by "maker/owner" Lorry Cates — although Cates never executed or authorized the checks — between Jan. 1, 2007 and April 30 of this year, according to charging documents filed on May 15.

An audit process alerted the Humane Society to the fraud, and the case was reported in April to the Michigan City Police Department, where Det. Steven Alt continues to lead the ongoing investigation.

Maj. John Boyd at the La Porte County Sheriff's Department said Westphal turned herself in at the La Porte County Jail on May 21, where she paid $1,500 — 10 percent of her $15,000 bond — and was released the same day.

*
Alt said he cannot disclose the exact amount of money Westphal is accused of having stolen while the investigation remains open.

The local Humane Society is a nonprofit animal shelter that cares for approximately 1,500 homeless animals each year. It functions based on money it receives from donations and fundraisers.

Westphal was quoted in The News-Dispatch on Oct. 28 as having said, "We need $25,000 to $28,000 per month to run the facility, so we are in constant need of funds."

_________________________________

Pretty sad story - and the comments section is brutal!

[Tim]

It seems odd to me this has had almost 60 views but no comments.

[Southsider2k12]

If you can't say anything nice...

[Southsider2k12]

Plea deal

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/laporte...cb5f6ae7a3.html

[Jesse B]

If you can't say anything nice...

It is a complete shame that people who steal from companies or non-profit organizes like the Humane Shelter get a slap on the wrist like this. How much money is she really going to "pay back"? How much $$$ did she use for herself or her family that we will never know about? What kind of an impact does this cause other people not to want to donate to worthy organizations. I say put her in a "cage" with little food and water for two years minimum like "a dog". Maybe then she will be remorseful for her actions and this will be a deterent to others.

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/laporte...51c3f39764.html

Stan Maddux Times Correspondent

MICHIGAN CITY | A woman has been ordered to pay back a Michigan City animal shelter nearly $400,000 she embezzled allegedly to gamble and live beyond her means.

LaPorte County Prosecutor Bob Szilagyi said Friday if there's still a balance after her entire sentence is served the woman can be sued for the remainder of the cash.

Jennifer Westphal, 42, was sentenced Thursday in LaPorte Superior Court 1 to two years on work release followed by four years on probation.

She was convicted of Class C felony forgery. Under a plea agreement, Westphal must pay the Michiana Humane Society $100 a month for the first two years based on her income and cost of paying for her incarceration is one of the requirements for all offenders on work release, said Szilagyi.

After completing work release, her monthly payments will go up to about $268 over the remainder of her sentence, he said.

Westphal was operations director at the animal shelter when she was writing checks belonging to the Michiana Humane Society to herself from 2007 to 2013.

Szilagyi said it was alleged she used a portion of the funds to gamble.

There was also testimony Westphal purchased things out of her reach financially like an expensive home and extravagant vacations.

She is accused of forging the signature of Lorry Cates as maker/owner of the checks when Cates, a board member at the shelter, never authorized the transactions.

Cates is a member of the board for the shelter funded primarily with donations.

Police were contacted after an audit at the shelter revealed the thefts hidden from her access to the group's financial ledgers, according to court records.

Szilagyi said the terms were worked out based on the animal shelter's desire to get its money back.

Westphal must return to the work release facility after work daily and stay until she has to return to her job, giving her income to meet her financial obligations.

The court under the plea also issued a judgement against Westphal, which can be executed against her after completing her sentence if the animal shelter sues her for any unpaid balance.

Garnishing wages are among the options a court in a civil case can utilize to recover funds owed to the animal shelter.

Had Westphal been ordered to serve her entire sentence in prison, Szilagyi said she would not be able to earn money toward repaying the animal shelter.

"There was a lot of money taken. It might take forever to repay. We tried to at least to do something regarding restitution," Szilagyi said.

The most Westphal could have received was an eight-year prison sentence.

[Tim]

" if there's still a balance after her entire sentence "

Huh? To pay back 400k in 6 years she'd have to pay approx. $5500 a month. On the plan the propose she'll pay back $15,264 over the 6 year period.