Stole $118,297, LR woman says

Former Sports Hall of Fame worker faces up to 15 years, fine

A former employee at the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame admitted Friday in federal court in Little Rock that she stole nearly $120,000 from the organization through unauthorized uses of its credit cards from 2007 through 2012.

Jennifer Smith, 47, of Little Rock pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Brian S. Miller to a single count of access device fraud, which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine of as much as $250,000.

Smith will be sentenced at a later date, after a pre-sentence investigation is completed by the U.S. Probation Office and the findings are submitted under seal to the court. The reports generally present an overview of a defendant’s background, including any criminal history or significant achievements and contributions to society, and calculate a penalty range based on federal sentencing guidelines, which judges can use as a guide in determining a sentence.

In court Friday, Smith admitted that the $118,297 in personal purchases she made using the hall of fame’s credit cards included an athletic club membership, restaurant meals, women’s and children’s clothing, and expenses for out-oftown trips.

By pleading guilty to a “criminal information,” or a formal charge, Smith avoided having a federal grand jury review the allegations against her for possible indictment.

“The Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame is an institution where people are honored for their contributions to this state,” Christopher Thyer, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, said in announcing Smith’s plea, along with Brian T. Marr, special agent in charge of the Little Rock field office for the Secret Service.

“It is a shame,” Thyer said, “that someone would steal from this organization while seemingly supporting it as an employee. Thankfully, an audit and great investigative work have exposed the perpetrator of this theft and brought her to justice.”

Marr noted that “these crimes create economic havoc on the businesses located in our communities. Working with the North Little Rock Police Department and the U.S. attorney’s office, we ensured that this defendant was held responsible and accountable for her actions.”

The missing funds were discovered in September 2012 after an audit that was triggered when the hall of fame’s bank statement showed a payment to the Little Rock Athletic Club for personal dues in Smith’s name.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Givens.

In March, before the case was transferred to federal court, Smith appeared in North Little Rock District Court on a felony theft charge related to the stolen hall of fame money.

Police said that when Smith’s supervisors asked to discuss the fitness club membership and questionable purchases of electronics and event tickets on the organization’s accounts, Smith didn’t show up for a meeting and never returned to work.