A man who was employed with the Utah Transit Authority has been accused of spending the past few years accumulating over $450,000 by sneaking fares from the collection boxes.
On September 10, a person notified the authorities when they thought his neighbor’s behavior seemed suspicious. The caller claimed they spotted what they believed was the man transferring buckets full of change into the garage of his home more than once. The neighbor also reported that he watched as the man took the buckets to Walmart and used a machine to cash the coins in for bills. When asking a regular employee of the Walmart if they knew what the situation with the man and the change machine was, it was reported that the worker believed the man owned an arcade as he made a habit of turning in coins at their store.
The suspect in question was identified as Taylorsville resident David Leroy Healy, a 54-year-old man who has worked for the Utah Transit Authority for close to two decades. Healy, who has done several jobs at UTA, was reported as most recently holding a position as a technician who maintained the equipment used for fare collection.
When the authorities began to investigate Healy’s activities they said that they saw what appeared as if he was bringing coins and cash that he filtered from the fare collection receptacles into his home quite a few times, and in the same fashion that was reported to them by his neighbor.
A peek at Healy’s financial activities allegedly revealed that he bought a car, and he had three open bank accounts where he purportedly kept the stolen money. The balances in the accounts appeared to increase significantly, which caused the suspicion that Healy’s windfall was the result of his pilfering from the fare boxes. It is believed that the activity may have been going on for at least 4 years.
On September 1, a warrant in the amount of $50,000 was issued for Healy’s arrest based on the allegations. He was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail and he is facing several felony theft charges.
Healy has been fired by the Utah Transit Authority for the accusations against him.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a theft crime, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.