LOGAN — A judge has told Tori C. Searle, who stole from nine local businesses by passing bogus checks, he is going to keep her in jail until she pays back the money. Judge Thomas Willmore told the 42-year-old Logan woman, he didn’t trust to let her out until the money is paid back.
Searle appeared in 1st District Court Monday morning. She was transferred to the Cache County Jail from Tooele County, where she is serving time for drug possession.
In January 2016, Searle wrote checks that had belonged to a man who had passed away. She then cashed those checks at numerous businesses. She was charged with one count of money laundering, a second-degree felony, two counts of theft by deception and 33 counts of forgery, all third-degree felonies.
Later that year, Searle accepted a plea deal, pleading guilty to all charges. As part of the agreement, the charges were suspended if she successfully completed Drug Court, a weekly supervised treatment program, and paid $2,381 back to the businesses.
State attorneys claim that since that time, Searle has not returned any of the stolen money.
Searle’s defense attorney said a friend tried to pay the restitution with a credit card. They then mistakenly disputed the charge because of a misunderstanding.
State attorney Spencer Walsh said Searle’s story sounded suspicious. He explained that police are investigating it as possible communications fraud.
Searle told the court she has the money in an account but hasn’t been able to pay it back because she has been in jail.
Judge Willmore ordered her to remain behind bars until the full amount is paid.
If anyone knows this woman, they would know that she DOES NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY THESE BUSINESSES BACK AND IF SHE DOES THEN IT IS STOLEN FROM SOMEWHERE OR SOMEONE ELSE. I WISH SHE HAD TO PAY THE 859 DOLLARS SHE OWES MY DAD TOO!!!