A former assistant bank manager for Wells Fargo’s downtown The Dalles branch has been accused of stealing from three more bank customers.
Gelina Bridget Cheyene Crichton, 26, of The Dalles, has been arrested three times now. She is accused of stealing money from five bank customers, all of them women, and all of them 65 or older, said Leslie Wolf, chief deputy district attorney for Wasco County.
The situation was uncovered when a bank customer noticed an unauthorized withdrawal from her account. The bank investigated, and discovered four other victims, Wolf said.
The first two victims had at least $10,000 stolen each, which qualified for aggravated first-degree theft charges, because of their age and the amount stolen, Wolf said. When a victim is 65 or older, it is considered elder abuse.
The three subsequent victims had $4,500, $1,800 and $1,500 stolen from checking accounts, Wolf said.
Crichton has been charged with 12 felonies, including aggravated first-degree theft, first degree theft and first-degree identity theft, Wolf said.
Wolf said Crichton was allegedly forging the customer’s names on withdrawal slips and presenting them to tellers, who would give her the money.
Wolf said not all of the victims of the theft live in Wasco County.
The investigation is ongoing and Wolf hopes no further victims are found.
Wells Fargo spokesman Tom Unger said earlier, “The customers don’t lose a penny as a result of this type of incident and we’re supporting the police with their investigation.”
He said Crichton had worked at the bank about two years.
He said this type of theft is “pretty rare, actually. It’s been many years since I’ve heard of one like this.”
Wolf said after the first two victims were found, the bank forwarded information to The Dalles Police Department about three more possible victims.
One of the victims thought withdrawals were authorized, but further investigation by Det. Sean Lundry of The Dalles police found that they weren’t, Wolf said.
Crichton posted $2,000 bail after her first arrest, $1,000 after her second arrest, and was released on her own personal recognizance after her third arrest.
Wolf said, “The last case the judge didn’t require her to post bail, so unfortunately, she didn’t post any bail, she just got out.”
The judge’s reasoning was that she had already posted bail in the other two arrests, Wolf said.
Wolf said it was not unusual to have multiple arrests of one person if there are multiple victims.
Crichton graduated with honors in 2006 from The Dalles-Wahtonka High School and signed a letter of intent that year to play volleyball at Mt. Hood Community College.
Wolf said Crichton has been “soft spoken” in court appearances.
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