Fired detention center official facing charges

Dan Kulin

Friday, June 11, 2004 | 9:31 a.m.

The former North Las Vegas Detention Center supervisor who was fired after money from inmate accounts was discovered missing was charged Thursday with multiple felonies including theft and falsifying public accounts.

Diana Thompson faces as much as 67 years in prison and up to $355,000 in fines if convicted on all charges stemming from her alleged theft of $437,728 between July 1, 2000, and June 30, 2003.

She was charged with three counts of theft, three counts of unlawful acts regarding computers, three counts of misappropriation or falsification of public accounts and one count of burglary.

Thompson was the supervisor who oversaw inmate accounts during that time. Prosecutors allege Thompson used her position and the access to computer records that came with it to manipulate inmate accounts to take cash and move money from one inmate account to another.

Thompson was fired in July 2003 after a routine city audit showed at least $156,000 was missing from the accounts Thompson oversaw.

A subsequent North Las Vegas Police investigation into the missing money revealed that more than $400,000 had been stolen during the three years from 2000 to 2003. City leaders announced the results of that investigation last month and turned the case over to the district attorney's office.

Thompson's attorney, Steve Wolfson, did not return telephone messages Thursday.

At that time, the city also announced the top two administrators at the Detention Center were being placed on paid administrative leave. Mayor Michael Montandon said then that the two bosses, detention center Chief Ken Ellingson and Assistant Chief Dan Lake, were not suspected of stealing any of the money, but were being held responsible for not catching the theft earlier.

Ellingson and Lake were put on paid leave on May 5. Ellingson will continue to be paid until he retires July 11.

Lake was on paid leave until May 30, and was then put on unpaid leave. He will return to work Monday, City Manager Gregory Rose said.

Since Thompson's firing the city has changed the way the inmate trust fund is handled, putting more than one person in charge of making sure the account is properly kept, city officials said.

The inmate trust fund is made up of money that inmates bring with them to the detention center or money that is sent to inmates. While in jail the inmates use money in their accounts to buy food and other items from the jail commissary.

According to the criminal complaint, Thompson made more than 1,600 changes to inmate accounts during the three-year period examined.

Her actions were questioned at times, but she also instructed those under her to talk to her first about any apparent irregularities, the complaint said.

The investigation included a review of Thompson's bank account activity, looked at how much money she withdrew from automated teller machines and gambling activity.

A review of Thompson's slot card records at Texas Station and Boulder Station showed "substantial play." Thompson reportedly won a total of $21,278 between April 2000 and the end of February 2002, with her winnings ranging from $1,250 to $5,000.

According to the criminal complaint, from July 1, 2000, through Aug. 1, 2003, Thompson deposited $132,514 in cash into her bank account, and had $177,740 deposited into her account by the city, representing her salary.

Bank records also showed Thompson withdrew $100,205 from ATMs throughout the Las Vegas Valley, plus $81,649 from ATMs designated as casino cash.

She also paid $24,300 to check-cashing businesses; $139,453 to various people; and owed 18 different credit card companies a total of $31,747, plus $21,900 on her car, the criminal complaint said.