Dexter, Mo., woman pleads guilty to felony stealing

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A Dexter, Mo., woman pled guilty Wednesday to felony stealing after being accused of stealing nearly $500,000.

Kathy Ellsworth, 48, is accused of forging what is currently believed to be a total of $485,000 in checks from her employer.

She was originally charged with 66 felonies: 34 counts of felony forgery, 31 counts of felony stealing and one charge of felony stealing in excess of $25,000.

A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday.

According to the probable-cause affidavit filed in a Stoddard County courtroom by Sheriff's Deputy Hank Trout, the money was taken between Dec. 10, 2009, to Nov. 14, 2011.

The report says that Ellsworth, employed as a bookkeeper by the victim, allegedly forged the victim's signature on business checks. Trout went on to say in the affidavit that all of the checks Ellsworth wrote on the account were made payable to her husband. She allegedly forged her husband's name on the checks to deposit them into her bank account. The checks ranged from $1,383 to $9,846 each.

There is no indication in the filed reports that Ellsworth's husband was aware of what had transpired.

Pertinent address:

Bloomfield, Mo.