DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) -- "I am angry. I am outraged, and I feel betrayed."
Montgomery County Auditor Karl Keith didn't hide his feelings Monday while addressing the media about the arrest and indictment of a longtime county employee last week for alleged theft in office.
On Friday, Dec. 6, the Montgomery County grand jury returned an indictment against former employee Jodi Hockett on two charges:
According to Keith, Hockett was most recently employed as a clerk in the county auditor's Licensing Department. He said that Hockett's employment was terminated on Nov. 26.
Keith said that his office worked in conjunction with the Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office on the investigation over several months.
He said that the investigation found Hockett "responsible for the theft or destruction of approximately $189,000 in license fees between May 2023 and July of 2024."
Keith said his office turned to the prosecutor's office after a June 2024 settling of cigarette license fees paid by retailers uncovered a shortage of fees collected. The two offices jointly discovered other shortages of fees.
After several weeks of investigation, Keith alleged they discovered one common factor for the days cash or checks disappeared: Jodi Hockett was working then.
Keith alleged that during discussion with investigators, Hockett admitted to taking the cash and destroying the checks.
Hockett was arrested on Dec. 6.
"All of us who work in the county auditor's office are in positions of trust," said Keith. "These actions are a deliberate violation of the public's trust. Actions that are both shocking and appalling.
"This betrayal comes from an employee I have known and worked with for a very long time. I always considered her a responsible, honest, dependable member of our team. Her supervisors and co-workers respected her and held her in high regard. That is why this is hard for all of us to accept."
Keith said his office will continue to cooperate with the prosecutor's office on this case, and "will seek full restitution of the missing funds."