Posted on 04/22/2005 1:33:46 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
FORT WORTH - An employee at a printing plant that makes more than half of America's currency stole up to $700,000 over seven years by regularly stuffing his pockets with folded sheets of $20 or $50 bills, a Secret Service agent testified Thursday.
Donald Edward Stokes Jr., 39, of Keller, confessed after his arrest in Oklahoma City earlier this month, nearly three weeks after he fled when federal authorities found stolen money at his home, special agent Norm Layton testified during Stokes' preliminary hearing.
The bills were flawed and had been marked for destruction at the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing Western Currency Facility, but the money still had value and was usable, Layton said.
Stokes initially said he started stealing several times a month because he was demoted after a 2002 assault arrest, but he later said the theft began in late 1997 or early 1998, Layton testified.
'Ready to face the music'
Defense attorney Randy S. Myers said his client "was ready to face the music" and would not flee if released to his mother's custody, but U.S. Magistrate Charles Bleil ordered Stokes to remain detained.
Myers later said Stokes probably would plead guilty if a deal could be reached with prosecutors. If convicted of theft of government property, Stokes faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bret Helmer said authorities are investigating whether anyone helped Stokes at the plant, one of only two that produces U.S. paper money. Officials also are reviewing security procedures for employees, he said.
"This was a wake-up call," Helmer said after the hearing. "As a matter of national security, we need to take every step possible to make sure this facility is secure."
Stokes worked at the plant since shortly after it opened in 1991. The facility, with about 700 employees, daily produces 18 million bills — worth about $169 million.
Missing sheets of money
In October, plant security officials called the Secret Service to report that a stack of $50 bills worth $5,000 was missing. Agents talked to Stokes, who worked in the security-verification section, where notes are checked for accuracy and destroyed if flawed.
Stokes denied taking the money and agents found nothing while searching his house, but he failed a lie-detector test, Layton testified. Stokes was placed on paid leave.
Then in March, his wife contacted authorities and said she found stacks of bills in Stokes' car trunk. The wife, who also works at the plant, told investigators she discovered money in the garage in August but never reported it.
During a search of the home, an agent found bills in Stokes' jacket pocket, Layton testified. But they needed to verify that the money was from the printing plant, so they did not arrest Stokes; he was ordered to go to the Secret Service office the next day, Layton said.
On the lam in five states
Stokes did not show up and was not found until April 2, when he surrendered in Oklahoma City after fleeing briefly following a routine traffic stop. Officers found about $80,000 in the car, and about half of it was from the plant, Layton said. Authorities believe the rest was from gambling winnings in Las Vegas.
During Stokes' confession, he said he went to five states and visited the Grand Canyon and Death Valley while on the lam. In New Mexico, he stole an Oregon license plate and put it on the car, Layton said.
Stokes also visited a relative in Colorado and stole her husband's company identification, Layton said.
Stokes was serving eight years' probation after pleading guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, stemming from a 2002 fight with his wife's ex-husband.
Right.
Busted by his wife
"I'm prepared to post bond, your honor. Um, do you have a pair of scissors?"
Paging Mr. Berger, we've located your lost relative.
Oh just a bunch of money out in the garage ... Honey can you clean the garage up....
I wonder, does he get to keep his Vegas winnings?
I'm a little leery of this statement. The guise of national security is overused. He was an employee, he handled currency, he abused is position. Normal accounting (security) procedures located a breech. Outside of mistrust and irritating the unions to the point of demanding the employees empty their pockets for crisp bills, national security hasn't been violated.
That being said, the Feds have a nasty history of failing to know WHO they hire, so background check do constitute national security. If this is what the good Asst AG meant, then Americans should know the Feds work backwards, wait for problems then do background checks on the already employed.
Good points.
I'm reminded of the song Johnny Cash did about being an auto builder in Detroit and smuggled his Caddy out in his lunch box. I forget the name of the tune, but I really like it. Haven't heard it in years.
I was raised on Johnny Cash.
over seven years..700,000 dollars at the taxpayers expense....who cares?...just gov'mt money!..our government at work....most data processing centers have guards or supervisors watching when the payroll checks are printed each week.....you'd think this operation would have security cameras everywhere...this is the biggest joke yet on the American taxpayer!
The guy did have big shoulders, dint he?
/8^)
What was the name of that tune?
Several years ago an employee inside the DC Treasury was arrested after being caught with "print jam" 20's and 50's. How was he caught? The idiot, who only made about $3000 a month or so, started driving a big Mercedes to work. The pay was low but the fringe benefits were great!!!
Must be part of the American culture as we the electorate have a history of failing to know who we elect (read Carter, Clinton.......)
I wonder if he laundered some of the stolen cash through the casinos
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