Accountant sentenced to prison for stealing more than $100,000 from Sheriff’s Office
A Carson City District Court judge sentenced former Sheriff’s Office accountant Laura Wissert to prison Monday after she pleaded guilty to embezzlement of more than $100,000 from the department.
Laura Wissert pled guilty on two counts of embezzlement, receiving 1 to 4 years for each count, for a minimum of two years, maximum of eight ordered by District Judge Todd Russell. She was arrested in January.
An audit and the investigation was done by the Nevada Department of Public Safety Investigations Division where it was learned she stole $101,369 since 2010.
Wissert, a division account technician at the sheriff's office for more than a dozen years, took money from an account established for money from search and seizures. The money is put into an account after conviction and dispersed among departments for programs.
The city’s insurance company covered $51,379 of the money taken and the insurance premium did go up this year. She gave back $10,606 in unpaid leave, with $39,373 still outstanding.
Saying she could pay off the rest with restitution, Wissert’s attorney, Noel Waters, asked for probation. Carson City Assistant District Attorney said the thefts were methodically done over three years and she deserved prison time.