An Ignacio Town Hall front desk employee, Jackie Mejia, was arrested last week by Ignacio Police on suspicion of taking town money.
An arrest affidavit was filed with the La Plata County combined courts on Jan. 22 by Sgt. Wes Crume of the Ignacio Police Department. He listed a citation of Class 4 felony theft/embezzlement. Mejia was arrested on Jan. 21 at the town hall and taken to jail, according to Crume's affidavit. As of Wednesday afternoon, a combined court representative said no charge had been filed by the District Attorney's Office.
Crume wrote that Mejia came to him in his office on Jan. 19 and said she had done something "really bad." She said she had been taking money out of town deposits since early November 2015 because she has a gambling addiction. She initially said she had taken around $17,000 and had gambled it away at the casino, but then she said the amount taken was probably higher. Crume listed it at $46,484.50. She gave the police a written statement and made a verbal statement to the town manager, Crume wrote. She was released then while Crume began his investigation and then was arrested on Jan. 21.
Interim Town Manager Mark Garcia said Tuesday that Mejia had since been released from jail. He said she was put on administrative leave without pay on Jan. 21 "pending a complete thorough investigation."
Mejia is ordered not to have contact with any gaming establishment in the state of Colorado as part of her bond, according to a protective order filed with the court.
Mejia, 54, had worked for the town since late spring or early summer 2015. This week the town web site had a help wanted posting for a front desk person.
Mejia is scheduled to appear in La Plata County Court on Feb. 4.
