Cyber & Financial Crimes Investigator R Bearden recently
solved an embezzlement case involving the theft of $539,740.60.
After an extensive review of financial evidence, Detective
Bearden determined Ashley Yates, 35, committed the theft by diverting payments
intended for her employer to her personal use.
She is accused of using 396 checks and 734 credit card transactions to
divert money over a four year period beginning in 2015. Yates was arrested and
charged with First Degree Felony Theft in the 179th Judicial
District Court on April 20th, 2020. She is currently out on a
$30,000 bond.
Yates has a history of arrest. On August, 29th,
2013, Yates was accused of assaulting the manager of the property where she resided. Yates had
obtained her apartment fraudulently by using another person's identifying
information. She was charged with
Assault-Bodily Injury (County Court at Law #7) and two felony counts of
Fraudulent Use of Identifying Information (179th Judicial District Court). As
part of a plea deal, the felony charges were dismissed and Yates received 9
months of deferred adjudication for the misdemeanor assault.
Deferred adjudication is a form of leniency in which the
defendant admits guilt and the court orders a period of probation. If the
defendant completes the probation satisfactorily, the court dismisses the
charge formally. Typically, failure to complete probation will result in an
adjudication of guilt.
While on deferred adjudication for the assault, Yates was
charged on December 4th, 2014 in a felony embezzlement scheme
resulting in the aggregate theft of more than $1500, and on December 16th,
2014, she was released from probation with "Unsatisfactory
Termination" without a guilty adjudication.
On September 1st, 2015, Yates was placed on 3 years deferred
adjudication again, this time for the felony offense. On September 12th,
2018, Yates was released from deferred adjudication for "Unsatisfactory
Termination" without a guilty adjudication.
