The Uintah County’s Children’s Justice Center treasurer allegedly stole $ 145,000 over 10 years

Michelle Lyn Coon. Courtesy photo: Uintah County Jail

UINTAH COUNTY, Utah, Oct. 31, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) – The treasurer of a child justice center in Uintah County reportedly stole approximately $ 145,000 from the organization over the course of 10 years, according to court documents.

A likely statement from the 8th District Court in Vernal says Michelle Lyn Coon, 41, is charged with theft – the value of which is or exceeds $ 5,000, a second degree felony.

Officials were contacted by Uintah County authorities to investigate a theft case in which money was illegally withdrawn and used from the Friends of Uintah & Daggett County’s Children’s Justice Center, the statement said. The arresting officer spoke to a member of staff on the phone and she told him that she became aware of some suspicious charges on an account while she was doing a banking business.

The clerk said she received a check and was about to deposit it, and opened some statements and found some irregularities and questionable charges on the account. The account was for the Friends of the Child Justice Center, who would receive donations that would then be used for the Child Justice Center.

The staff then went to the bank and got back the 2012 bank statements and went through the charges for each month and year.

“After searching the account for unauthorized charges or withdrawals, it was found that the unauthorized charges and withdrawals amounted to over $ 145,000,” the statement said.

The officer then went through the bank statements and “noticed charges for all types of fast food restaurants, shoe stores, clothing stores, online stores, telephone charges and more,” the statement said. The end numbers on the credit card matched a card issued to Coon. The arresting officer also found copies of checks made out to Coon for thousands of dollars, the statement said.

The arresting officer met with Coon at the Vernal Police Department. After reading out her Miranda rights, Coon agreed to speak to the officer.

“I told her that I was investigating a case involving something that affected her and was happening near her,” the statement said. “I asked Michelle if she knew what I was talking about and she told me she knew. When I asked her what she thought it was about, she told me it was about the CJC money. I then asked her to tell me about the money and what happened. “

Coon admitted that she had withdrawn money from the CJC account she was responsible for, withdrawing money from ATMs, using debit cards, and writing checks to herself.

“She told me it had just started a little, but then described it to me as addicted to buying things like a drug user would be,” the statement said.

“Michelle told me she’s appreciated she’s been doing this for at least 10 years and has also confirmed that she was the only one who knew she’d taken the money. When I asked her if she would be surprised if I told her the amount was over $ 145,000 over time, she told me that seemed about right. “

The arresting officer asked Coon if she did this to any other charity or company, and she said she did not. Coon was taken to the Uintah County Jail with her bail set at $ 5,000.