Man admits stealing thousands from ex-employer
Posted on Friday, March 28, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/bcdr/News/60147/
BENTONVILLE — Circuit Judge David Clinger will decide in May whether to accept a plea agreement for a man accused of stealing thousands of dollars from a former employer.
Randy James Pursell, 39, is charged with theft of property, a class B felony punishable with a prison sentence ranging from five to 20 years.
He agreed to plead guilty Wednesday under a plea agreement that attorney Joel Huggins reached with Deputy Prosecutor Carrie Dobbs.
Pursell is accused of stealing slightly more than $ 80, 000 from Tucker Furniture and Appliance in Rogers. Pursell monitored accounts payable and pulled money from registers to be deposited for the furniture store, where he worked from Jan. 13, 2003, until Feb. 14, 2006, according to a probable-cause affidavit in the case.
Michael Tucker told police he confronted Pursell about the stolen money. Pursell did not deny taking the money but replied he couldn’t have taken that much money, according to court documents. Pursell also attempted to make an agreement to repay the business in monthly installments, and he also offered Tucker $ 50, 000 to make the case go away, court documents state.
The plea agreement calls for Pursell to serve eight years in the Arkansas Department of Correction, then have a 10-year suspended sentence.
Clinger took the plea under advisement and ordered that a pre-sentencing investigation be completed on Pursell.
Sentencing for Pursell is scheduled for May 1.
He must pay $ 1, 420 in court-associated fees. He must also pay $ 80, 064. 60 in victim restitution.
Pursell was arrested Sept. 15, 2006, and released two days later from the Benton County Jail on $ 20, 000 bond.