Victory Twp. woman may take plea agreement next month.

By Rob Alway. Editor-in-Chief.

LUDINGTON — A Victory Township woman accused of embezzling between $50,000 to $100,000 in gift cards from the company she worked for, may be entering a plea agreement for the crime in February.

Valerie Kay Larr, 55, of Victory Twp. appeared in 51st Circuit Court Tuesday afternoon with her attorney, Ryan Glanville.

Larr was was arraigned on October 10, 2014 by Mason County Magistrate Patricia Baker on one count of embezzlement by agent $50,000-$100,000 occurring between September 1, 2012 and May 1, 2013.  The offense is a felony punishable by a maximum of 15 years in prison.

The charges were filed by Mason County Prosecuting Attorney Paul Spaniola following an investigation by the Michigan State Police Detective David Johnson.

Glanville stated to Judge Susan Sniegowski that he believed his client was close to accepting a plea agreement from the Mason County Prosecuting Attorney’s office and requested a plea date in 30 days. Larr will appear before court again on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 2:45 p.m.

According to a previously released press release from Michigan State Police, “Det. Johnson’s investigation revealed that Mrs. Larr had obtained for her personal benefit numerous Walmart gift cards valued at nearly $75,000 from her employer Aramark and paid for by Aramark’s client, Oxychem,” Spaniola said in a press release. “It had been represented by Mrs. Larr that these gift cards were intended for other Aramark employees and contractors as rewards for good job performance.  It is alleged that Mrs. Larr retained these Wal-Mart gift cards and used them to purchase items for herself and her family including groceries, automobile service, and other general merchandise and services.  Her actions were discovered by a routine audit by Aramark corporate officials and reported to the Michigan State Police.”

Larr has been released on a $10,000 personal recognizance  bond.