An investigation into forged checks totaling more than $29,000 from a local conservation organization has resulted in a 117-count indictment against a woman employed there on a work-study program.
Klorice Whitney Lewis, 35, of the 2900 block of Onate Road, is charged with 60 third-degree felony counts of forgery, 55 counts of fourth-degree felony tampering with evidence, a fourth-degree felony count of non-residential burglary and a misdemeanor count of criminal damage to property.
Las Cruces police investigators learned that Lewis was employed as a work-study student at the Southwest Environmental Center, based in Las Cruces, through New Mexico State University from August 2012 until February 2017. In early February 2017, a board member serving as SWEC’s accountant discovered irregularities within the non-profit’s QuickBooks accounting system. The accountant spoke with Lewis about the discrepancies on Feb. 2, 2017. The following day, Lewis called in sick and remained on sick leave for several days thereafter.
Investigators learned that on the weekend of Feb. 4-5, 2017, someone entered the SWEC offices and deleted several QuickBooks files and damaged an external storage hard drive on a computer. Several paper files were removed from the SWEC offices that same weekend along with checks to SWEC from the IRS totaling more than $5,000. Although the USB port of the hard drive was damaged, investigators were able to recover data from the device that helped the investigation.
LCPD investigators determined that, between December 2013 and January 2017, Lewis forged and cashed 60 checks from SWEC for her personal use. The check amounts ranged from $150 to $750 and totaled $29,642.77. Investigators learned that on most of the checks Lewis used her boss’ electronic signature to ‘sign’ the checks. She then either cashed or direct-deposited the checks into her own account.
Investigators learned that in February 2017, shortly after being confronted by SWEC’s accountant about the discrepancies and without any explanation or admittance of guilt, Lewis sent a personal check to SWEC in the amount of $15,000.
The case was presented to a grand jury on Sept. 13. After review by the grand jury, the 117-count indictment was handed down on the same day. A District Court judge has issued a criminal summons to Lewis demanding that she appear in court on Oct. 9, 2018.
Information from Las Cruces Police