Ex-pool worker accused of theft ‘ in the six-figure range’

The Hilliard Division of Police charged a former Hilliard Recreation and Parks Department employee with the theft of cash from admission fees collected at the city’s two pools.

Heather Ernst, 47, of Hilliard is charged with theft in office, a thirddegree felony, Hilliard police said.

She turned herself in Friday and is scheduled for arraignment Jan. 5 in Franklin County Municipal Court.

The missing money was “in the six- figure range,” Police Chief Bobby Fisher said. He declined to say exactly how much.

Authorities believe the thefts began in May 2013, Fisher said.

A preliminary investigation found that money was missing from cash deposits from the Hilliard Family Aquatic Center and the Hilliard East Municipal Pool, Hilliard spokesman Doug Francis said.

Ernst was responsible for the daily accounting of cash and deposits for the pools, a city news release said. When investigators found not all the money had been deposited, Ernst “provided false information to the city to support the shortened or missing deposits.”

“Our investigation has shown she created a system where cash proceeds from the pools were channeled in a manner that she was able to control those proceeds,” Fisher said Friday.

He said she deposited the money into her personal account, and police are “confident she acted alone.”

Ernst directed a request for comment to her attorney, Joe Edwards.

“Heather denies guilt,” Edwards said. He said he still was waiting to review the evidence.

Ernst resigned on Nov. 1 during the investigation.

Ernst told ThisWeek on Nov. 21 that she resigned “to focus on my health.”

Her resignation letter referred to stress she said she had experienced before the investigation became public. But it also said her department lacked a policy for depositing money from the pools into a bank. Ernst’s letter said many people would have had access to the money before it reached her.

The city’s top officials were told of the investigation the third week in October, and Hilliard City Council members were notified Nov. 1, Francis said.

Fisher said a “confidential investigative source” told police about the thefts.

Franklin County Municipal Court documents say investigators found evidence that showed “a discrepancy between the sales at the pools compared to the amount of cash deposited and recorded by the city of Hilliard finance department” from 2013 to 2017 and that Ernst had been “depositing large amounts of cash into her personal checking account during the months of May- August.”

“We feel confident based on the evidence we have we can prove what was taken and the manner it was taken,” Fisher said. “Once it goes to grand jury, there are other charges that potentially could come, but this starts the process and the investigation will continue.”

If convicted of theft in office, Ernst could face up to five years in prison and a maximum $ 10,000 fine, according to the city.

Ernst was employed by the city for 24 years and had served as deputy recreation and parks director since 2012. In cases of theft in office, Ohio law permits a public employee’s retirement funds be frozen until the criminal case is disposed, and if the employee is convicted, those funds can be used as restitution to the city.

Hilliard Mayor Don Schonhardt said the city would review its financial controls with the state auditor’s office.

“In addition, the city will implement a cashless system and is investigating the best options for that to occur,” he said. The federal holiday for Christmas is Monday. Because of the holiday:

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