St. Helena Sheriff's Office employee allegedly stole $35K to gamble
ST. HELENA PARISH - A St. Helena Parish Sheriff's Office employee was arrested Tuesday after she allegedly stole $35,000 from the department to pay for her gambling problem.
The Advocate reported 39-year-old Tequella Douglas, the former chief of the department's civil division, was booked on charges of felony theft and malfeasance.
The sheriff's office said it discovered the money was missing after residents reported that fees paid to the department had not been deposited. Investigators learned Douglas stole then destroyed deposit checks from April to May and kept around $10,000 in cash.
Douglas reportedly admitted she had a gambling addiction and used the cash for video poker. The sheriff said Douglas will have to pay back the missing money.
Douglas has worked at the sheriff's office since 2016 and was fired June 16.