A Sioux City woman has been arrested and charged with taking over $30-thousand dollars from the bank accounts of nearly 20 disabled and dependent adults.
48-year-old Lisa Sembach-Preston is charged with nineteen felony counts of Dependent Adult Abuse (financial exploitation), thirteen counts of second degree theft, three counts of third degree theft and three counts of fourth degree theft.
Police Detective Bill Nice says the case has been under investigation since May of this year:
OC………checks on the account. :11
The victims are all clients of Crossroads of Western Iowa, Sembach-Preston’s former employer.
Detective Nice says the suspect then used the money she allegedly took for her own personal use:
OC………..furniture, clothing. :06
Nice says the alleged thefts were taking place over a two year period.
Crossroads contacted police with their concerns in May:
OC…tracking stuff down. ;22
Sembach-Preston was booked into the Woodbury County Jail on $169-thousand dollars bond.
The investigation is ongoing.
