TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Land O'Lakes Vol. Fire Official Accused Of Grand Theft

Pasco County Sheriff's Office

Alicia Long Puertas

ADVERTISEMENT

JoAnn Johnston

Published: November 3, 2007

LAND O'LAKES - More than $20,000 has disappeared from the coffers of the Land O'Lakes volunteer fire department, and the department's treasurer has been arrested.

The Pasco County sheriff's office charged Alicia Long Puertas, 32, of Lutz, with felony grand theft of more than $20,000. On Saturday, Puertas was in the Land O'Lakes jail on $10,000 bond.

A detective arrested Puertas Friday at her home.

According to the arrest report, the president of the volunteer group alerted authorities after checking the department's bank balance in October. There was only $218 in an account that should have contained about $25,000, according to the report.

A formal review showed the organization is actually missing $22,630.

When a sheriff's detective questioned Puertas, she said she decided to "borrow" money from the fire department because of financial and marital problems, according to the report. She used $3,000 to help buy a Honda, then made subsequent car payments and paid a variety of other bills, the sheriff's office said. Investigators believe she started taking money from the account in 2005.

Reporter JoAnn Johnston can be reached at 352-521-3062 or at jjohnston@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT