Thursday, Sept. 9, 2004 | 9:28 a.m.
A former Las Vegas city employee is charged with taking almost $19,000 from the Leisure Services Department between Aug. 14, 2000, and Dec. 17, 2001.
Tina Robles, also identified in a complaint filed by the Clark County district attorney as Tina Maria Quiroz, allegedly diverted checks totaling $18,975.45 for such purposes as gym and park reservations into her personal bank account.
Also named as an accomplice in the complaint was Moriah Lynn Shakespear, who is alleged to have deposited $1,256 of the amount into her own bank account.
Robles was an accountant with the Leisure Services Department. She started with the city in 1987 and was making $48,538 when she was fired in June 2002, Deputy City Manager Betsy Fretwell said.
"The Leisure Services folks recognized there were some irregularities and some funds were missing, and we initiated an investigation," Fretwell said.
She said she did not have the details of how the money was diverted.
The Sun was unable to contact Robles for comment.
Fretwell said Shakespear was not a city employee.
City Manager Doug Selby said the investigation "took a long time to conclude. It's not a surprise, we knew we were going to get to this point (the complaint) sooner or later. But it's not pleasant."
In April 2003, a senior planner in the Planning Department was fired after an audit found she had taken almost $8,000 from petty cash over a four-year period.
Christine Drew pleaded guilty to theft and was sentenced to two years probation. She since has paid the city back.
That incident led to changes in city rules regarding petty cash use, and a call for more auditors.
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