An arrest warrant was issued Tuesday for Kelly Leann Harden, 23, for one count of embezzlement by an employee for allegedly taking a total of $830 between Sept. 18 and Oct. 10.
According to an affidavit of probable cause filed in Sequoyah County District Court Tuesday by Lt. John Hobbs with the Choctaw Nation Tribal Police, the investigation into missing money began on Oct. 20.
Hobbs reported that a track employee told racetrack security personnel on Oct. 2 that there was $120 missing from petty cash, and it was not the first time money had disappeared. The employee reported that $120 also disappeared on Sept. 18 or 19, but the employee had paid back that money herself. On Oct. 10, the same track employee contacted security because $20 was missing from her purse.
On Oct. 4, security was contacted to investigate over $550 missing from a locked filing cabinet.
During an interview with Hobbs, Harden allegedly confessed to stealing money and checks on various occasions from the track and from a track employee's purse on two occasions. Harden allegedly told Hobbs that she had thrown away the checks that she had stolen.
Harden also provided a written statement confessing to what she had done, according to the affidavit.
After speaking with Harden, track officials made arrangements for Harden to pay the money back, instead of pressing charges against her. Harden was also fired.
As of Dec. 21, Harden had not paid any of the money back to the racetrack.
According to records from the Sequoyah County Jail in Sallisaw, Harden had not been booked into the jail as of Thursday.
