KFDM/Fox 4 News has learned a woman in Tyler County is facing indictments accusing her of stealing more than $300,000.
67-year-old Viola Stoops works for the Tyler County Appraisal District, but the alleged theft is not from her office nor the county.
KFDM has obtained court documents indicating the grand jury indicted Stoops on charges of Theft of Property, alleging she stole $233,648.35, a 2nd degree felony, $73,543,99, a 3rd degree felony, and $14,938.33, a state jail felony.
She's accused of stealing from businesses.
District Attorney Lucas Babin tells KFDM his investigator, Donald Calhoon, arrested Stoops on Sunday night. Babin says Calhoon played a major role in the investigation.
She was jailed on total bonds of $150,000.
Late Monday, KFDM/Fox 4 spoke with her boss, Chief Appraiser David Luther.
"She's very religious and I'm shocked by the allegations," Luther told us. "She's a longtime, excellent, friendly worker."
Luther says he's looking at the allegations before making any personnel decisions.
https://www.kjas.com/news/local_news/article_362a326c-b831-47fa-93ef-dd4a999753e0.html