Police: Woman returns from California to face bank theft charge in Morgan City

A Morgan City woman has been transported from California to face charges in Morgan City stemming from an incident where she allegedly took large amounts of cash from a bank while working there as a teller, a news release said.

Stephanie L. Williams, 38, of Levee Road in Morgan City, was arrested at 11:28 a.m. Wednesday on warrants charging her with theft over $25,000, criminal damage to property $1,000 to $50,000 and failure to return leased movable.

On May 2, investigators with the Morgan City Police Department Detectives Division began an investigation in regard to the potential theft of funds from a local bank in the Morgan City area. The bank teller had not reported for work when administrators began to check her cash drawer. Bank administrators discovered that all of the cash had been damaged within the drawer. Williams was identified as a suspect during the investigation, the release said.

Bank administrators were able to verify that a large sum of cash was missing from Williams’ bank drawer. The investigation continued and warrants were prepared for Williams’ arrest. Information was developed that Williams had fled to the Long Beach, California, area. Investigators with the Morgan City Police Department corresponded with investigators from the Long Beach Police Department in a collaborative effort to have Williams located and taken into custody.

On June 12, Williams was located by investigators with the Long Beach Police Department and arrested on the outstanding warrants. Williams was transported from Long Beach, California, on July 18 by the United States Marshal's Office where she was taken into custody by the Morgan City police.

The warrant for the failure to return leased merchandise stems from an investigation conducted by patrol officers on June 21 when Williams was identified as not returning leased property valued at $927.79 to a local business or rendering payment for such property, the release said. The investigation continued when warrants were prepared for Williams' arrest.

Williams was transported to the Morgan City jail where she was booked and incarcerated. Bail was set at $100,000.