Ex-charity director gets prison time for theft
The former director of a charity for abused and neglected children has been sentenced to 10 months in federal prison for embezzling money from the organization.
Traci Lorre Owens, 48, of Edmond, was ordered Friday to pay $55,143 in restitution to the Canadian County Court Appointed Special Advocates. She pleaded guilty last year in Oklahoma City federal court to a theft offense.
U.S. District Judge Vicki Miles-LaGrange chose the punishment Friday. The judge also ordered Owens to attend gambling treatment once released from prison.
On Monday, defense attorney Jacquelyn Ford disputed prosecutors’ claims that Owens took the money to fund
a gambling habit.
Ford said Owens isn’t addicted to gambling and there is no proof the money stolen was spent at casinos.
“Owens created duplicate payroll checks for herself and also deposited checks ... for reimbursement of unauthorized expenses,” prosecutors reported.
Prosecutors also alleged Owens stole from the charity’s “Children’s Fund” and an account for gift donations.
The defense attorney said Owens admitted to taking extra salary checks several times over a twoyear period totaling about $25,000.
Prosecutors, though, believed the charity’s total losses were more than $70,000.
Prosecutors alleged the theft occurred between November 2010 and July 2013, when Owens was serving as the charity’s executive director.
Owens resigned from her position in 2013 following issues regarding her attendance, authorities said.
“The key fob entries to the office show Owens rarely worked a full day in the Canadian County CASA office, if she went at all. Instead, she was frequently at casinos in the area,” prosecutors wrote in a court document. After her resignation, inconsistencies in the charity’s finances were discovered, authorities said.
The defense attorney said Owens is remorseful and apologized during the sentencing.
The charity lost its CASA certification in December 2013 and became inactive until it was reorganized under different leadership in 2014, according to prosecutors.
CASA is a national nonprofit that aids children in legal or social services systems.