Forsyth Woman Accused of Stealing from Employer

A Forsyth woman is facing 10 years in prison after being arrested on charges related to allegedly stealing thousands from her former employer.

The full story below from Jason Wert of the Branson Tri-Lakes News:

Krystal Ladell Snow is facing one count of stealing $25,000 or more, a class C felony, which could bring a sentence of three to 10 years in prison upon conviction.

According to court documents, Hollister police were dispatched to the Garrett Law Firm after a report of money being stolen from the office. When police arrived, Josh Garrett told officers Snow had stolen money she should have been depositing into the bank on behalf of the firm.

Garrett said a comparison of the firm’s financial records to the records of deposits at their bank showed a discrepancy. An investigation by Garrett and the bank found Snow had been making deposits into the bank of checks written to the law firm, but not the cash given to the firm. 

Garrett said Snow was fired and in her exit interview she admitted to stealing $500 but said she planned on paying the firm back. 

Garrett told police from January 2019 through February 2022, Snow would steal various cash deposits, but put money back into the law firm’s account by making larger deposits than the actual amount. He said eventually Snow stopped paying the money back.

The firm found when cleaning out Snow’s desk a bank statement with Snow’s name on it showing over $12,000 deposited into her account with average monthly deposits for the year over $17,000. Snow’s annual salary was $30,000.

Garrett contacted police after the initial report and said an audit by an outside firm showed the Garrett Law Firm receiving almost $300,000 in receipts but only just over $111,000 was deposited into the bank, leaving over $184,000 unaccounted for by bank records.

Garrett Law Firm sent a statement to Branson Tri-Lakes News stating a secretary has been embezzling money from the firm who was terminated before a police investigation. 

“We have cooperated fully with the Hollister police department and the prosecutor’s office and have asked them to seek the maximum allowable sentence,” the statement said. “No clients have been affected by her theft as the funds were replenished by Mr. Garrett, and

despite this person’s attempts to jeopardize the standing of our firm in the community, our representation for our clients remains as strong as ever.”

The firm anticipates they will file civil litigation following the prosecution of Snow.

Judge R. David Ray of Howell County is presiding over the case following the recusal of all judges from the 46th circuit, where the Garrett Law Firm has represented clients.

Snow currently has no attorney of record in Missouri CaseNet.