By Patti Weaver
(Stillwater, Okla.) — A 60-year-old Perkins woman, who worked in the office at Williams Foods where she had been for over five years, has been charged with embezzling $15,282.26 from the grocery store in Perkins between Aug. 2, 2024, and Nov. 5, 2024, according to Payne County court records.
Patricia Yavaughn Dame told store officials on Nov. 8, 2024, “if they wouldn’t prosecute her, she would pay it back before she left,” Perkins Police Officer Jason Thompson alleged in an affidavit filed with the felony charge last week.
By agreement of the prosecution and defense, Dame was allowed to remain free on a personal recognizance bond pending an April 7 court appearance at which she can seek a preliminary hearing on the felony punishable by as much as a five-year prison term and a $5,000 fine.
When the Perkins police officer arrived at Williams Foods on Nov. 8, 2024, “I noticed there was not anyone else in the office. I asked where the suspect employee was and (the corporate supervisor) told me that he had told Dame that he had called the police, and they were enroute. He said when Dame was told, she no longer wanted to stay and left,” the affidavit alleged.
Store officials “said that before leaving, Dame admitted to the crime. Dame told them that she did not take as much as they were accusing her of, but if they wouldn’t prosecute her, she would pay it back before she left,” the affidavit alleged.
They said that they have “receipts of records back until August of returns being processed with Dame stealing the money,” the affidavit alleged.
The corporate supervisor said, “there is a video camera inside the office that points to the cash register, which is also located in the closed office, and when the returns were made, they could not see anyone other than Dame.
“I received video footage of the events, with time stamps and receipts of Dame working in the area of the cash register with no customer visible at the window to issue the refunded money to. The receipts and video given to me by (the store manager) provide the timing of the issuance of the refunds — with no one at the window,” the Perkins officer alleged in his affidavit.
When the Perkins officer went to Dame’s home, “Dame came out of her door visibly upset and stated, ‘It was my fault,’ and ‘I’m stupid.’ Dame admitted to taking some money. She replied that she was not sure how much but said ‘Maybe a few thousand. Maybe,’ but not as much money as (officials) of the Williams Store had accused her of.
“Dame stated that she would issue a refund, take cash, and then deposit the cash into her bank account,” the affidavit alleged.
