Woman accused of theft of $136,000

LIGIONER, Ind. (WANE) Prosecutors have filed charges against a Noble County woman accused of stealing from a business and the Marshmallow Festival.

Tamara Deel, 42, faces a class C felony count of theft, a class D felony count of theft, and a class C felony of Fraud on a Financial Institution.

The C felony theft charge alleges that Deel stole over $100,000 from a Ligioner business between June 3, 2008 and June 30, 2012. Deel reportedly worked at the business during that time.

During a probable cause hearing Monday afternoon, Ligonier Police Detective Sgt. Gary J. Cox testified that the total amount of funds missing from the business is $121,471.38. Cox said Deel used company money to buy things like appliances, Longaberger baskets, and liquor.

The D felony theft charge alleges that Deel stole money from the Ligonier Marshmallow Festival between November 20, 2009 and April 28, 2012, when she served on the festival’s committee. Most recently, Deel has been the chairperson of that committee.

Cox said bank records showed that in March 2012, the festival’s account balance was approximately $100, though Deel reported to the festival’s board that month that the balance was $7942.15. Police said Deel wrote checks from the festival’s account totaling over $15,000 that was not for festival business.

Officers arrested Deel Tuesday morning. She's scheduled to appear in Noble Circuit Court Wednesday afternoon and bail will be set then.