Woman Charged With Embezzling From Berrien Sheriff’s Department

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A Buchanan woman is facing an embezzlement charge as the Berrien County Prosecutor’s office alleges she stole more than 75 thousand dollars from the sheriff’s department while working there. 66 year old JoAnn Roberts was a jail population manager for the department since 1998. She’s accused of stealing cash out of tether payment envelopes, putting it in her personal account, and using it to gamble. Tether payments are money paid by defendants for tether equipment while they await court proceedings. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case at the request of Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey. Roberts is charged with embezzlement between 50 thousand and 100 thousand dollars, and her bond is set at ten thousand dollars. She’s due back in court for a preliminary exam conference on December ninth.