CROTHERSVILLE — A rural Crothersville woman has been charged with theft after stealing from her employer, The Peoples Bank.
Kayla N. Applegate, 33, is accused of defrauding the bank for more than $80,000 while employed there.
According to Jackson County Sheriff Rick Meyer, bank officials alerted authorities in August to potential fraud and theft involving a former employee. Detective Jesse Hutchinson, who worked on the case, uncovered evidence indicating that Applegate had accessed the bank’s credit card system to open unauthorized credit cards in December 2023 and February 2024.
The probable cause affidavit reveals that no official paperwork was completed for either credit card. Applegate reportedly increased the credit limits on both cards and made cash advances to herself. The first card had an outstanding balance of $32,345.53, while the second card’s balance reached $48,201.20.
In an interview with Detective Hutchinson on October 8, Applegate claimed she needed approximately $20,000 to finish construction on her house. Notably, she admitted to opening the credit card accounts without consulting anyone at the bank.
When confronted by bank officials about the unauthorized credit cards, Applegate resigned from her position.
On October 22, she was arrested on a court warrant for felony theft and booked into the Jackson County Jail at 7:14 p.m. Two days later, on October 24, at 3:23 p.m., she was released after posting a $2,000 cash bond. Attorney Scott Callahan is representing her. Her next scheduled court appearance is in Jackson Circuit Court on December 27, 2024, at 9 a.m.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent unless convicted through due legal proceedings. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
