KINGWOOD — A former Kingwood city worker is charged with stealing more than $30,000 while working at the garbage transfer station.
Dana Robert Cobb, 27, of Terra Alta, is charged with committing felony fraudulent schemes. He was freed on $5,000 bond.
According to the criminal complaint by Preston Sheriff’s Capt. J.H. Bryan:
The city contacted Bryan in February. He met with city officials, who said receipts from the transfer station had been checked after it was believed Cobb was stealing cash. An audit by the interim city clerk showed more than $30,488.66 was missing that Cobb should have deposited between July 2017 and February.
The receipts had been altered to make it appear customers were dropping off less trash than they actually had. The receipts were altered by using correction tape to cover the actual weight of the trash left off and “one bag” being handwritten over the tape.
“Upon closer inspection, actual dollar amounts were visible that were in excess of the one bag amount, which is $1.50. It was noted that the discrepancies only occurred primarily when [Cobb] was working.”
Capt. Bryan interviewed one customer, whose receipt said he paid $1.50. The man said he had paid $50.04 and dropped off a dump trailer load, not one bag, of trash. The customer had a copy of his receipt.
When interviewed by police, Cobb allegedly admitted to taking $2,500 to $3,000 by altering receipts.
Cobb’s employment with the city was terminated earlier this year, after city council met in executive session with Capt. Bryan.
