Healthcare Facility Employee Accused of Stealing More Than $100,000

POCAHONTAS, Ark. — A former employee of a Pocahontas health care facility is accused of stealing more than $100,000 from a resident trust fund by writing checks to herself, altering financial records and forging signatures.

Emily Dawn Clayton, 29, was charged with theft of property, a Class B felony; second-degree forgery, a Class C felony; and computer fraud, a Class D felony. On June 17, Judge Alex Bigger followed an agreement by the prosecutor and defense and set bail at $20,000 cash or surety.

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According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Sgt. Jeremiah Winslow of the Pocahontas Police Department, police began investigating a report of fraud involving the Resident Trust Fund at Pocahontas Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center on May 28.

An audit reportedly found that Clayton had issued checks from the fund payable to herself, deposited the checks into her personal bank account and then altered the payee information to make the checks appear payable to the facility or its residents.

Investigators allege Clayton uploaded the altered copies into the facility’s shared accounting records and forged the signatures of authorized signers on multiple checks.

The facility compared bank records obtained directly from Farmers and Merchants Bank with records Clayton had uploaded and found that $97,268.16 had allegedly been obtained through altered checks, according to the affidavit. The audit also found an additional $7,000 in missing cash, bringing the total loss to $104,268.16.

Clayton provided a voluntary statement June 9 after being advised of her Miranda rights, the affidavit said. Police allege she admitted writing checks from the fund to herself, depositing them into her personal account, altering the payee information and uploading the altered copies into the accounting system.

She also allegedly admitted forging signatures and provided investigators with a list of transactions. The affidavit said Clayton acknowledged owing the facility approximately $103,668.16.

Clayton told investigators she began taking the money when she was hired in 2023, according to the affidavit.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.