Cloverdale woman charged with stealing nearly $38,000

A Cloverdale woman was charged Wednesday for the alleged theft of nearly $38,000 from two Cloverdale area organizations.

Kimberly A. Wright, 46, faces two counts of Class D felony theft in Putnam Circuit Court for the alleged incidents.

Investigators found that Wright allegedly took $33,000 for personal use while serving as office manager for Stardust Hills Owners Association. She is also alleged to have taken nearly $5,000 while serving as the treasurer for Cloverdale Main Street.

The Indiana State Police Special Investigation Section arrested her at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 7. The arrest took place without incident at a Cloverdale business unrelated to the crimes.

The investigation started on Feb. 9 after the Stardust Hills Owners Association board contacted the Putnam County Prosecutor's Office requesting assistance with a possible theft.

The investigation was assigned to ISP 1st Sgt. Scott Stockton.

Stardust Hills board members told Stockton they noticed discrepancies regarding the financial records presented by Wright during the February board meeting.

According to the probable cause affidavit, the most glaring issue was at the beginning of January 2012, the balance of the Stardust Hills Owners Association checking account was approximately $19,000. By the end of January, the balance was approximately $1,300.

Board members said they demanded an explanation from Wright, who could not supply one.

Stockton interviewed Wright at the Stardust Hills Owners Association office on Feb. 20. At this time, Wright admitted she "had made several poor decisions regarding purchases she made with credit cards as well as checks entrusted to her from the Stardust Hills Owners Association."

Wright admitted to having used the credit cards and checks on expenditures that included gift cards, her residential electric bill, her personal cell phone bill, her mortgage, clothing, school supplies, Christmas gifts, a microwave oven, a camera, a Kindle reader, two computer routers, personal cleaning supplies and food, as well as cash payments made toward association dues and user fees for use of the Stardust Hills Clubhouse.

During the interview with Stockton, Wright said she had also taken funds from Cloverdale Main Street during her tenure as treasurer.

The alleged thefts are to have occurred sometime during the period of January 2009 until March 2012. Wright served as office manager from February 2006 until mid February 2012. The dates of her tenure as Cloverdale Mainstreet treasurer are unknown.

In a taped statement, Wright took full responsibility for her actions and said no other member of the Stardust Hills Owners Association benefited in any way from her actions.

A rough draft estimate of the loss of funds for Stardust Hills was set at $33,521.85. A verbal audit estimate of the Mainstreet Cloverdale thefts was set at $4,600.

Wright was housed at the Putnam County Jail with bond set at $15,000, with 10 percent allowed. She posted bond Thursday morning.