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Last updated on Friday, January 20, 2017
(TIPPECANOE CO.) - Thursday at approximately 10 a.m. at the Tippecanoe County Jail, Trooper A.J. Smith along with Trooper Detective Gregg Edwards read a warrant to 50-year-old Kerri L. Kinsey (Smith at the time of the allegations), of Lafayette, and arrested her on a Class C felony charge of theft. She was then booked and released on her own reconnaissance due to a health condition.
The Indiana State Police at Lafayette were notified in June of 2014, by Tippecanoe County Clerk Christa Coffey of suspicious deposits made by Kerri L. Smith. The investigation was initiated when deposits by Smith to the bank were not matching up to deposit information at the office.
Trooper Detective Edwards with assistance from the Clerks' Office and the State Board of Accounts audited records and determined the thefts started back in April of 2005 and continued through June of 2014. Nearly $300,000 had allegedly been taken in that time span.
Because the theft occurred prior to the new felony law changes, Smith was charged with the Class C Felony over $100,000 taken.
The length of time for the investigation and charges being filed is due to a special prosecutor being assigned because the suspect was a county employee, the investigation of the case itself and the length of time it takes to audit the books of the County Clerks' Office going back 10 years.
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