LOGAN — A 53-year-old Logan woman has pleaded guilty to stealing almost $300,000 from her employer. The money was taken over the course of seven years, while she worked as the company’s secretary.
Wendy W. Egbert appeared in 1st District Court Monday afternoon. She was arrested in 2016 and charged with three counts of theft by deception, a second degree felony, and three counts of forgery, two counts of unlawful use of a credit card and obstructing justice, all third degree felonies. She was also charged with felony drug and firearm possession in an unrelated case.
As part of a plea agreement, Egbert pleaded guilty to two of the theft charges. She will also turn over her savings and retirement accounts, to begin paying back $250,000 in restitution. Meanwhile, state attorneys agreed to drop the remaining charges against her and recommend that she not be sentenced to prison.
Police reported in February 2016, the Cache Rich Drug Task Force served a search warrant at Egbert’s home. While there, detectives became suspicious when the found more than $20,000 in cash and large amounts of unopened merchandise.
Egbert’s alleged explanation for this was that she enjoyed shopping.
During the next three months, investigators uncovered multiple thefts from 2009-16 from her employer.
During that time, she made unauthorized purchases with a company checking account, bought items with a company credit card bearing her name and deposited thousands of dollars in cash into her personal account instead of the company’s bank account. She also gave herself a $4 raise.
During Monday’s court appearance, Judge Kevin Allen ordered Egbert to appear again May 29 to be sentenced. She has been out of jail since being arrested, after posting $25,000 bond.