Probation worker charged with stealing from clients

A former employee of a private probation company in Cape Girardeau has been charged with felony stealing after police said she stole money from clients she supervised.

Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Limbaugh filed one count of Class D felony stealing last week against Candi Ayers, 45, of Cape Girardeau.

According to a probable cause statement, Ayers stole a combined $2,170 from 14 clients whose probations she was tasked with supervising. The thefts occurred from Jan. 20 to Sept. 22, 2017, Cape Girardeau police detective Orrin Hawkins said in the probable cause statement.

Stolen amounts ranged from a low of $50 each from four clients to a high of $600 in the case of one client, the statement reported.

Hawkins said he met with Autumn and Darin Pettit, owners of Private Correctional Services on Dec. 6, 2017.

The Pettits said Ayers had stolen money, according to the probable-cause statement.

"Darin and Ayers had numerous text messaging conversations in which Ayers had admitted to taking the money and agreed to pay the money back at a later time," Hawkins wrote in the statement.

According to the statement, Ayers now has paid restitution to Private Correctional Services.

It is unclear if that money was returned to the clients.

The Southeast Missourian left several voice messages for Autumn Pettit. None were returned as of late Wednesday afternoon.

Ayers is scheduled to be arraigned in court in Jackson on March 19.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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