Culbertson woman to prison for embezzlement

Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Trina Hoyt

McCOOK, Neb. -- A Culbertson woman accused of stealing more than $1.2 million from her employer over a four-year period was sentenced to prison time Monday.

The woman, 54-year-old Trina L. Hoyt of rural Culbertson, Nebraska, was ordered to serve 18 to 36 months in state prison during a sentencing hearing in Red Willow County District Court. Hoyt accepted a plea agreement in June admitting guilt to a Class 3 felony offense for theft by unlawful taking and committing the prosecution to "not oppose probation if the pre-sentence investigation recommends probation," according to court documents.

At sentencing Red Willow County District Court Judge David Urbom waived court costs in the case and gave Hoyt credit for three days already served.

The felony conviction stemmed from 26 checks Hoyt fraudulently wrote on the account of Tri-State Livestock Commission to her husband, Nathan Hoyt, between January 2012 and December 2013. According to court documents, the checks falsely claimed to be for cattle sold and combined to equal $814,451.

The theft was brought to the attention of law enforcement by Hoyt's employer, Gayle Ruggles, who claimed Hoyt stole more than $1.2 million over a four year period between 2010 and 2013. Ruggles and his accountant, Dan Miller, identified suspected embezzlement of $178,903 in 2010; $259,113 in 2011; $313,717 in 2012; and $500,969 in 2013. Ruggles said he became suspicious after he was told his business lost money in 2013.

Investigators citing a 3-year statue of limitations for embezzlement and theft did not include the 2010 or 2011 accusations as part of their criminal case. They concluded Hoyt issued 26 checks without supporting invoices, after issuing Nebraska Beef Council checks for fewer cattle sales and in some instances issuing checks on days no cattle sale took place.

Ruggles told investigators he confronted Hoyt after discovering the theft and she admitted to issuing checks without actually selling cattle. He said he had been waiting on a civil settlement in regard to the missing money but another civil judgement had been placed in front of his.

A 2014 Gazette story provides additional details pertaining to a civil suit filed against the Hoyts in Hitchcock County by the Lapp family and is available at: http://bit.ly/1W1GakY