Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Rosston woman charged with theft of $35,000

A Rosston woman has been charged with the theft of some $35,000 and with forging signatures to obtain money from a local trucking company.

Charges against Nicki Thornton, 41, 743 Nevada 15, Rosston, were filed with the Nevada County Circuit Clerks Office on July 11. A bench warrant has been issued for her arrest, but as of presstime, Thornton had not yet been taken into custody.

According to court records, Arkansas State Police Detective Scott Clark was called on to investigate the embezzlement by company officials. An affidavit filed by Clark indicates that company officials Lynn Smith and Charles Thornton made the initial report. Clarks report states, in part, an accounting had been conducted that proved that approximately $35,000 had been stolen from the company.

Smith and Charles Thornton alleged that Nicki Thornton had taken the money. Apparently, at least part of the money was embezzled through forged checks written by Nicki Thornton. She allegedly signed both Smiths and Charles Thorntons name to those forged checks.

According to court records, Clark interviewed Nicki Thornton on June 21. During that conversation, Thornton admitted that she had in fact taken a large amount of money from the trucking company and forged a number of checks with both Lynn Smiths and Mr. Thorntons name, according to Clarks statement. Nicki Thornton reportedly told Clark that the agreed upon amount was somewhere between $30,000 and $40,000.